Realization of adiabatic Aharonov-Bohm scattering with neutrons

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the adiabatic Aharonov-Bohm effect through simulation of slow neutrons scattering around a current-carrying wire, highlighting the topological phase shift in a scattering context.

Contribution

It provides the first explicit simulation of the adiabatic AB effect in neutron scattering, connecting topological phases with scattering experiments.

Findings

Simulation confirms the adiabatic AB effect in neutron scattering.

Topological phase shift observed in the simulated scattering process.

Demonstrates feasibility of measuring the effect in experimental setups.

Abstract

The adiabatic Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect is a manifestation of the Berry phase acquired when some slow variables take a planar spin around a loop. While the effect has been observed in molecular spectroscopy, direct measurement of the topological phase shift in a scattering experiment has been elusive in the past. Here, we demonstrate an adiabatic AB effect by explicit simulation of the dynamics of unpolarized very slow neutrons that scatter on a long straight current-carrying wire.