AharonovinBohmilmiö

The Aharonov-Bohm effect is a quantum mechanical phenomenon in which an electrically charged particle is scattered by a magnetic potential even though the magnetic field itself is zero in the region where the particle travels. This effect demonstrates that the magnetic vector potential, not just the magnetic field, has a physical significance.

Specifically, if a charged particle is confined to a region where the magnetic field is zero, but encircles a region containing a magnetic flux, its wavefunction can be altered. This alteration can lead to observable interference patterns when the particle is later measured. The phase difference between two paths that a particle can take, each encircling the magnetic flux, is directly proportional to the magnetic flux.

The Aharonov-Bohm effect was first proposed by David Bohm and Yakir Aharonov in 1959. It has been experimentally verified and is considered a fundamental demonstration of the non-local nature of quantum mechanics and the physical reality of vector potentials. While initially a theoretical curiosity, it has found applications in areas such as quantum computing and the study of mesoscopic systems. The effect highlights that physical quantities that are not directly measurable, like the vector potential, can still have observable consequences.