Concerning the Direction of the Aharonov-Bohm Deflection

Abstract

The interaction of a solenoid with a passing charged particle can be treated within classical or quantum physics. If charged particles pass around both sides of a solenoid, there is an experimentally-observed Aharonov-Bohm deflection of the double-slit particle interference pattern between charges passing on opposite sides. Such a deflection can be obtained by a classical force calculation. Although the magnitude of the angular deflection agrees between the classical force calculation and the quantum topological theory, the direction of the predicted deflection is opposite. Here we point out the simple basis for the direction of the deflection based upon classical electrodynamics and based upon quantum theory, and we mention analogues, both the electrostatic deflection of the particle interference pattern and the optical analogue of the classical calculation. The deflection direction involves an experimental question which is addressed rarely if ever.