Scalar He-Mckellar-Wilkens effect

Abstract

Topological phases and their scalar versions are decisively important because they exhibit the profound role of the electromagnetic potentials in quantum mechanics. Vector He-McKellar-Wilkens (VHMW) topological phase emerges when electric dipoles pass around a source of line magnetic charges. Its scalar version can also be conjectured using the concept of electromagnetic duality. In this short contribution, after briefly discussing the VHMW effect we will give the basic mathematical steps for its scalar version and propose an experimental setup.Topological phases and their scalar versions are decisively important because they exhibit the profound role of the electromagnetic potentials in quantum mechanics. Vector He-McKellar-Wilkens (VHMW) topological phase emerges when electric dipoles pass around a source of line magnetic charges. Its scalar version can also be conjectured using the concept of electromagnetic duality. In this short contribution, after briefly discussing the VHMW effect we will give the basic mathematical steps for its scalar version and propose an experimental setup.