Aharonov-Bohm Explains Quantum Tunneling

Scientists from Japan have demonstrated that an important physical effect accounts for the dynamics of a quantum tunneling system.

AsianScientist (May 27, 2014) – A team of Japanese scientists has found new experimental evidence for a fundamental quantum mechanical phenomenon, resolving previously unverified hypotheses about the dynamics of quantum tunneling.

In quantum mechanics, the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect describes the observation in which an electrically charged particle is affected by an electromagnetic field despite lying outside its region. A fundamental phenomenon believed to be caused by interactions between the electromagnetic field potential and the particle’s wavefunction, the AB effect has been used by physicists to explain and make predictions about the behavior of particles.

Led by Shinji Urabe, professor at Osaka University, the team investigated quantum tunneling using two-dimensional ionic structures in a “linear Paul trap” that captures ions into a region. Quantum tunneling is a phenomenon describing how particles can be transmitted across a supposedly insurmountable barrier.

By manipulating the ground state of an ion using laser cooling and arranging three calcium ions in a triangular structure, the research, which was published in Nature Communications, demonstrated that the charged particles contained in the quantum tunneling system behave in accordance to the AB effect.

The article can be found at: Noguchi et al. (2014) Aharonov-Bohm effect in the tunneling of a quantum rotor in a linear Paul trap.

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Alan Aw is a maths enthusiast who likes sharing the fun and beauty of science with others. Besides reading, he enjoys running, badminton, and listening to (and occasionally playing) Bach or Zez Confrey.

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