Energy level shift of quantum systems via the electric Aharonov-Bohm effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new electric Aharonov-Bohm effect where a quantum system in a Faraday cage experiences energy level shifts due to a time-varying scalar potential, despite zero electric and magnetic fields.

Contribution

It proposes a novel electric Aharonov-Bohm effect that causes energy level shifts, linking it mathematically to the AC Stark effect, with no external fields present.

Findings

Energy levels are shifted without external electric or magnetic fields.

The effect is mathematically connected to the AC Stark effect.

The phenomenon differs from traditional Aharonov-Bohm effects by affecting energy levels instead of interference fringes.

Abstract

A novel version of the electric Aharonov-Bohm effect is proposed where the quantum system which picks up the Aharonov-Bohm phase is confined to a Faraday cage with a time varying, spatially uniform scalar potential. The electric and magnetic fields in this region are effectively zero for the entire period of the experiment. The observable consequence of this version of the electric Aharonov-Bohmn effect is to shift the energy levels of the quantum system rather than shift the fringes of the 2-slit interference pattern. We show a strong mathematical connection between this version of the scalar electric AB effect and the AC Stark effect.