Title: Geometric phase of a moving dipole under a magnetic field at a distance,
Abstract: We predict a geometric quantum phase shift of a moving electric dipole in the
presence of an external magnetic field at a distance. On the basis of the
Lorentz-covariant field interaction approach, we show that a geometric phase
appears under the condition that the dipole is moving in the field-free region,
which is distinct from the topological He-McKellar-Wilkens phase generated by a
direct overlap of the dipole and the field. We discuss the experimental
feasibility of detecting this phase with atomic interferometry and argue that
detection of this phase would result in a deeper understanding of the locality
in quantum electromagnetic interaction.