Whenever a classical or quantum system undergoes a cyclic evolution governed by a slow change of parameters, it acquires a phase factor: the geometric phase. Its most common formulations are known as the Aharonov-Bohm phase, Pancharatnam and Berry phase. Although traditionally attributed to the foundations of quantum mechanics, the geometric phase has been generalized and has become increasingly influential in many areas from condensed-matter physics and optics to high-energy and particle physics and from fluid mechanics to gravity and cosmology. Interestingly, the geometric phase also offers unique opportunities for quantum information and computation. In this article, we first review the geometric phase in a classical context, the Foucault pendulum, and then we discuss one of the first quantum manifestations
The geometric phase: Consequences in classical and quantum physics
Citro Roberta
2021-01-01
Abstract
Whenever a classical or quantum system undergoes a cyclic evolution governed by a slow change of parameters, it acquires a phase factor: the geometric phase. Its most common formulations are known as the Aharonov-Bohm phase, Pancharatnam and Berry phase. Although traditionally attributed to the foundations of quantum mechanics, the geometric phase has been generalized and has become increasingly influential in many areas from condensed-matter physics and optics to high-energy and particle physics and from fluid mechanics to gravity and cosmology. Interestingly, the geometric phase also offers unique opportunities for quantum information and computation. In this article, we first review the geometric phase in a classical context, the Foucault pendulum, and then we discuss one of the first quantum manifestationsI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
