Generation of geometrical phases and persistent spin currents in 1-dimensional rings by Lorentz-violating terms

TL;DR

This paper shows that Lorentz-violating terms can induce geometrical phases and persistent spin currents in 1D electron rings without electromagnetic fields, providing a new way to test Lorentz violation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism where Lorentz-violating terms generate geometrical phases and spin currents in quantum rings, with explicit calculations and bounds on parameters.

Findings

Lorentz-violating terms induce geometrical phases in electron wave functions.

Persistent spin currents can be generated without electromagnetic fields.

Upper bounds on Lorentz-violating parameters are established.

Abstract

We have demonstrated that Lorentz-violating terms stemming from the fermion sector of the SME are able to generate geometrical phases on the wave function of electrons confined in 1-dimensional rings, as well as persistent spin currents, in the total absence of electromagnetic fields. We have explicitly evaluated the eigenenergies and eigenspinors of the electrons modified by the Lorentz-violating terms, using them to calculate the dynamic and the Aharonov-Anandan phases in the sequel. The total phase presents a pattern very similar to the Aharonov-Casher phase accumulated by electrons in rings under the action of the Rashba interaction. Finally, the persistent spin current were carried out and used to impose upper bounds on the Lorentz-violating parameters.