English

Relativistic Hall Effect

Optics 2012-05-18 v2 Other Condensed Matter High Energy Physics - Theory Quantum Physics

Abstract

We consider the relativistic deformation of quantum waves and mechanical bodies carrying intrinsic angular momentum (AM). When observed in a moving reference frame, the centroid of the object undergoes an AM-dependent transverse shift. This is the relativistic analogue of the spin Hall effect, which occurs in free space without any external fields. Remarkably, the shifts of the geometric and energy centroids differ by a factor of 2, and both centroids are crucial for the correct Lorentz transformations of the AM tensor. We examine manifestations of the relativistic Hall effect in quantum vortices, and mechanical flywheels, and also discuss various fundamental aspects of this phenomenon. The perfect agreement of quantum and relativistic approaches allows applications at strikingly different scales: from elementary spinning particles, through classical light, to rotating black-holes.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1112.5618,
  title  = {Relativistic Hall Effect},
  author = {Konstantin Y. Bliokh and Franco Nori},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1112.5618},
  year   = {2012}
}

Comments

5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett

R2 v1 2026-06-21T19:56:28.312Z