Mechanism for persistent current in mesoscopic normal rings based on quantum Luttinger solitons

We propose that the electron-electron interactions and the grain boundaries in mesoscopic normal rings act as a singular perturbation with respect to the single-electron picture. In the presence of a magnetic field it leads to the formation of a dynamical macroscopic quantum state composed of solitons and antisolitons in an excited Luttinger-like liquid. The predicted amplitude of the persistent current in a disordered ring agrees with the measured one. Other measured features are explained, and additional predictions, which can be tested experimentally, are presented.