arXiv · 2301.06502
Electromagnetic momentum in the Aharonov-Bohm quantum interference experiment from a physical perspective
Abstract
In the Aharonov-Bohm setup, a double-slit experiment, when a long but thin solenoid of current is introduced between the two coherent beams of electrons behind the slits, an extra phase difference between the interfering beams appears, as shown by a shift in the interference pattern. This mysterious effect, purportedly arises owing to an electromagnetic momentum, attributed to the presence of a vector potential at the location of either beam, due to the solenoid of current even when the magnetic field is zero outside the solenoid. It has remained a puzzle, how mere potential, thought to be just a mathematical tool for calculating electromagnetic field, can give rise to electromagnetic momentum in a system. Experimentally the effect has been amply verified, with hardly any doubts that the observed effect is real. A satisfactory physical explanation of the existence of momentum, at least under the aegis of classical electromagnetism, is still missing since inception of the idea more than half a century back. We show here the presence of electromagnetic momentum in the product of the drift velocities of the current-carrying charges within the solenoid and the mass equivalent of their potential energies in the electric field of the external charges.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Ashok K. Singal. 2023-01-16. Electromagnetic momentum in the Aharonov-Bohm quantum interference experiment from a physical perspective. https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.06502
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.