Aharonov--Bohm and Aharonov--Casher effects in meso-scopic physics: A brief review

We briefly review the theoretical formulations and applications of the Aharonov–Bohm effect and the Aharonov–Casher effect with emphasis on mesoscopic physics. Topics relating to the Aharonov–Bohm effect include: locality, periodicity, non-integrable phase factors, Abelian gauge theory, interference, the spectrum and persistent current of electrons on a ring pierced by a magnetic field, Onsager reciprocity relations, and Aharonov–Bohm interferometer. Topics relating to the Aharonov–Casher effect include: a magnetic dipole in an electric field, locality, periodicity, non-Abelian gauge invariance, SU(2) non-integrable phase factors, spin-orbit coupling, Pauli equation, Rashba Hamiltonian, Aharonov–Casher interferometer, conductance and polarization in two-channel systems due to the Aharonov–Casher effect.