I have encountered two contradicting papers on the Aharonov-Bohm Effect: One supporting,
The Aharonov-Bohm Effects: Variations on a Subtle Theme. H Batelaan and A Tonomura. Physics Today 62 pp. 38-43 (2009). doi:10.1063/1.3226854, DigitalCommons@UNL.
and another contradicting it,
Does the Aharonov–Bohm Effect Exist? T H Boyer. Foundations of Physics 30 no. 6, pp 893-905 (2000). doi:10.1023/A:1003602524894, direct download from Penn state.
Which one is correct? Has the Aharonov-Bohm effect been experimentally verified?
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I e-mailed Timothy H. Boyer, the author who is not convinced of the Aharonov-Bohm effect. He replied,
Although there is excellent experimental evidence for the Aharonov-Bohm phase shift, we still do not know whether this phase shift arises because of a "quantum topological effect" as claimed by Aharonov and Bohm or because of a classical electromagnetic interaction. It is in this sense that I claim that there is still no evidence confirming the quantum topological effect.
I also found a paper by Dr. Boyer which outlines a method for testing which explanation is correct: classical electromagnetism or the quantum topological effect:
Proposed Experimental Test for the Paradoxical Forces Associated with the Aharonov-Bohm Phase Shift. Boyer, Timothy H. Foundations of Physics Letters Vol 19 pp. 491-498 (2006). Abstract | Direct download
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