Possibilities and Limitations of Employing the Aharonov-bohm Effect for Remote Sensing and Communications

This research explores possibilities and limitations of employing the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect [1, 2] for use in electronic remote sensing and communications based on electromagnetic potentials {Aμ} ≡ (A,Φ/c), wherein c is the velocity of light and SI units are employed. In classical electromagnetic theory, such gauge potentials are introduced as mathematical constructs to compute the complete electromagnetic fields E and B. Only the complete electromagnetic fields Fμν = ∂μAν − ∂νAμ are regarded as being physical. However, in the quantum-mechanical description of charged particles, say, electrons, the gauge potentials {Aμ} must enter into intermediate stages of computations involving the charged particle space-time amplitudes, i.e. wave functions. The phases of these wave functions in regions of space and time wherein the electromagnetic fields {Fμν} vanish can be affected by other regions of space and time wherein the electromagnetic fields {Fμν} are non-vanishing. This constitutes the AB effect from a space-time viewpoint. For example, if a particle with charge e moves from an initial space-time point to a final space-time point described by two alternative paths, say P1 and P2, then the AB amplitude phase interference∆Θ between these possible alternative paths