In 1984, 25 years after the prediction of the ► Aharonov—Bohm (AB) effect, Aharonov and Casher [1] predicted a “dual” effect. In both effects, a particle is excluded from a tubular region of space, but otherwise no force acts on it. Yet it acquires a measurable quantum phase that depends on what is inside the tube of space from which it is excluded. In the AB effect, the particle is charged and the tube contains a magnetic flux. In the Aharonov—Casher (AC) effect, the particle is neutral, but has a magnetic moment, and the tube contains a line of charge. Experiments in neutron [2], vortex [3], atom [4], and electron [5] interferometry bear out the prediction of Aharonov and Casher. Here we briefly explain the logic of the AC effect and how it is dual to the AB effect.
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Primary Literature
Y. Aharonov, A. Casher: Topological quantum effects for neutral particles. Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 319–21 (1984).
A. Cimmino, G. I. Opat, A. G. Klein, H. Kaiser, S. A. Werner, M. Arif, R. Clothier: Observation of the topological Aharonov—Casher phase shift by neutron interferometry. Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 380–83 (1989).
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Secondary Literature
For a review, see L. Vaidman: Torque and force on a magnetic dipole. Am. J. Phys. 58, 978–83 (1990).
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Rohrlich, D. (2009). Aharonov-Casher Effect. In: Greenberger, D., Hentschel, K., Weinert, F. (eds) Compendium of Quantum Physics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70626-7_2
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