ROTATIONAL ANOMALIES OF MESOSCOPIC RINGS

The electronic contribution to the moment of inertia of single-channel metal rings is analyzed. In rings threaded by a magnetic flux, the el ectron moment I(e) exhibits a periodic pattern with maxima at PHI0=hc/ e or 1/2 PHI0 (modulo PHI0) depending on the number of electrons. For slowly rotating rings, I(e) diverges in the limit of weak disorder. Th e rotational anomalies rely on the same interference mechanism respons ible for persistent currents and the Aharonov-Bohm effect.