The atomic quantum ring

We investigate the dynamics of neutral fermions trapped in a one-dimensional ring. We construct an effective magnetic field in the ring using the adiabatic motion of dark states created by light beams carrying an orbital angular momentum. We illustrate the effect of the orbital angular momentum by looking at the induced mass current and show how the Aharonov-Bohm effect manifests itself in an atomic Fermi gas as a periodic mass current as a function of the optically induced artificial magnetic flux. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.