Abstract
A particle is assumed to move along a one-dimensional loop such as an ellipse that rotates in a plane. Because of the centrifugal force the particle is subjected to a symmetric double-well potential. Classically, the Coriolis force does not affect the motion of the particle, whereas the corresponding term in the Lagrangian influences the properties of the quantum system: its ground state turns out to be degenerate for a discrete set of angular velocities. The analogy between a constant magnetic field and a uniform rotation is used to propose, in addition, a variant of the Aharonov-Bohm experiment, which can be performed also with neutral particles.
- Received 6 December 1994
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.75.1435
©1995 American Physical Society