EPJ H Highlight - An interview with Yakir Aharonov: Reflections on the origins and impacts of the Aharonov–Bohm effect

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Published on 02 September 2025

Yakir Aharonov recollects how the theory first came about, the initial controversies and discussions surrounding the idea, and how it ultimately came to shape the modern interpretation of quantum mechanics

Yakir Aharonov is an Israeli physicist born in 1932, with a career in quantum theory now spanning eight decades. He continues to work as a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Chapman University in California, and in 2024 was elected to the Royal Society of London. Among his most seminal contributions was the theoretical discovery of a quantum phenomenon now known as the Aharonov–Bohm effect – made in 1959 during his PhD studies with American theorist David Bohm at the University of Bristol.

In a new paper published in EPJ H: Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Physics, Guy Hetzroni at the Open University of Israel presents an oral interview with Aharonov. In the discussion, he reflects on the origins of the Aharonov–Bohm effect, and its impact on quantum theory and experiments in the decades since its discovery.

The Aharonov–Bohm effect describes how the motions of electrons are subjected to electromagnetic influence, even in regions where both the electric and magnetic fields are zero. Aharonov and Bohm predicted this surprising effect based on the coupling between the electromagnetic potentials and the particle’s quantum wavefunction. It can be demonstrated in setups involving solenoids and capacitors, where the fields are confined but electrons travelling close to them still show measurable shifts in their interference patterns.

Experimental proof came in 1986 through groundbreaking studies led by Japanese physicist Akira Tonomura, which confirmed the effect and paved the way for further theoretical advances. Today, Aharonov and Bohm’s original paper continues to have a profound impact: with close to 10,000 citations, it has influenced areas ranging from practical applications in electron microscopy to fundamental discussions of gauge theory.

During the interview, Aharonov provides vivid recollections of the initial reception of the effect: how controversies surrounding his and Bohm’s ideas sparked long-standing debates in the physics community. While Tonomura’s experimental proof settled questions over whether the effect exists at all, discussions over its interpretation – the deeper meaning of how and why it arises – have remained active to this day.

He also shares personal memories of meetings and conversations with many leading physicists, including Werner Heisenberg, Richard Feynman, and Chen-Ning Yang, which helped to shape the development of the theory and cement its importance in the wider field of quantum mechanics.