Observation of the scalar Aharonov-Bohm effect by neutron interferometry

B. E. Allman, A. Cimmino, A. G. Klein, G. I. Opat, H. Kaiser, and S. A. Werner
Phys. Rev. A 48, 1799 – Published 1 September 1993
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Abstract

A phase shift for de Broglie waves due to the action of a scalar potential in an otherwise field-free (i.e., force-free) region of space is known as the scalar Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect. Unlike the more familiar AB effect due to the magnetic vector potential, the scalar effect has hitherto remained unverified due, presumably, to technical difficulties in electron interferometry. We have performed an analogous interferometric experiment with thermal neutrons subject to pulsed magnetic fields. The observations were carried out at the University of Missouri Research Reactor using a skew-symmetric perfect-silicon-crystal neutron interferometer. The expected phase shifts have been observed to a high degree of accuracy. A detailed description of the experiment and its interpretation is given in this paper.

  • Received 12 March 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.48.1799

©1993 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

B. E. Allman, A. Cimmino, A. G. Klein, and G. I. Opat

  • School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

H. Kaiser and S. A. Werner

  • Department of Physics and Research Reactor Center, University of Missouri–Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211

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Vol. 48, Iss. 3 — September 1993

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