On the role of potentials in the Aharonov-Bohm effect

Abstract

There is a consensus today that the the main lesson of the Aharonov-Bohm effect is that a picture of electromagnetism based on the local action of the field strengths is not possible in quantum mechanics. Contrary to this statement it is argued here that when the source of the electromagnetic potential is treated in the framework of quantum theory, the Aharonov-Bohm effect can be explained without the notion of potentials. It is explained by local action of the field of the electron on the source of the potential. The core of the Aharonov-Bohm effect is the same as the core of quantum entanglement: the quantum wave function describes all systems together.

Presentation of the result is revised according to the comments of 5 referees. To be published as Rapid Communication in PRA

References in corpus (2)

• A Critical Reexamination of the Electrostatic Aharonov-Bohm Effect
• Some Aspects of Classical and Quantum Phases

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