Quantum Phase Shift Caused by Spatial Confinement

Author: Allman B.E.   Cimmino A.   Griffin S.L.   Klein A.G.  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0015-9018

Source: Foundations of Physics, Vol.29, Iss.3, 1999-03, pp. : 325-332

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Abstract

This paper presents the results of optical interferometry experiments in which the phase of photons in one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is modified by applying a transverse constriction. An equivalent quantum interferometry experiment using neutron de Broglie waves is discussed in which the observed phase shift is in the spirit of the force-free phase shift of the Aharonov-Bohm effects. In the optical experiments the experimental results are in excellent agreement with predictions.