OPTICAL THEOREM AND AHARONOV-BOHM SCATTERING

A rigorous derivation of the optical theorem (OT) from the conservatio n of probability flux (CPF) is presented for scattering on an arbitrar y spherically symmetric potential in N-spatial dimensions (ND). The co nstructed expression for the OT is found to yield the corresponding we ll-known results for two- and three-dimensional cases in a rather natu ral way. The Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect is considered as a scattering e vent of an electron by a magnetic field confined in an infinitely long shielded solenoid and a similar derivation is attempted for an approp riate optical theorem. Our current understanding of the scattering the ory is found to be inadequate for the purpose. The reason for this is discussed in some detail.