The Bohm-Aharonov effect is a quantum mechanical phenomenon that involves the interaction of a charged particle with a magnetic field. The effect was first proposed independently by David Bohm and Yakir Aharonov in the 1950s.
In the classical view of electromagnetism, the path of a charged particle is affected by the presence of a magnetic field. However, in the quantum mechanical view, the presence of a magnetic field can result in the interference of the wave function of a charged particle, even if the particle itself does not interact directly with the magnetic field.
The Bohm-Aharonov effect describes a situation where a charged particle is split into two paths, one of which passes through a region of space with a uniform magnetic field, while the other does not. According to classical electromagnetism, the path of the charged particle passing through the magnetic field will be deflected due to the Lorentz force. However, in the quantum mechanical view, the wave function of the charged particle can interfere with itself, leading to a measurable phase shift in the interference pattern.
The Bohm-Aharonov effect has been experimentally verified in a number of different systems, School Management System, including electrons and photons. The effect has also been used to investigate a wide range of topics in quantum mechanics, including the role of gauge invariance and the relationship between quantum mechanics and classical electromagnetism.
