Aharonov-Bohm phases in a quantum LC circuit

Understand

We study novel types of contributions to the partition function of the Maxwell system defined on a small compact manifold.

• These contributions, often not addressed in the perturbative treatment with physical photons, emerge as a result of tunneling transitions between topologically distinct but physically identical vacuum winding states.
• These new terms give an extra contribution to the Casimir pressure, yet to be measured.
• We argue that this effect is highly sensitive to a small external electric field, which should be contrasted with the conventional Casimir effect where the vacuum photons are essentially unaffected by any external field.