© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

arXiv:0708.0813 · Physical Review Letters

Experimental Test of Nonlocal Realistic Theories Without the Rotational Symmetry Assumption

Tomasz Paterek, Alessandro Fedrizzi, Simon Gröblacher, Thomas D. Jennewein, Marek Żukowski, Markus Aspelmeyer, Anton Zeilinger

Published Nov 21, 2007• 103 citations

Abstract

We analyze the class of nonlocal realistic theories that was originally considered by Leggett [Found. Phys. 33, 1469 (2003)10.1023/A:1026096313729] and tested by us in a recent experiment [Nature (London) 446, 871 (2007)10.1038/nature05677]. We derive an incompatibility theorem that works for finite numbers of polarizer settings and that does not require the previously assumed rotational symmetry of the two-particle correlation functions. The experimentally measured case involves seven different measurement settings. Using polarization-entangled photon pairs, we exclude this broader class of nonlocal realistic models by experimentally violating a new Leggett-type inequality by 80 standard deviations.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.99.210406

Related papers

Experimental test of nonlocal realism using a fiber-based source of polarization-entangled photon pairs

Matthew D. Eisaman, Elizabeth A. Goldschmidt, J. Chen +2 more

We describe an experimental test of local realistic and nonlocal realistic theories using polarization-entangled two-photon singlet states created using a fiber-based polarization Sagnac interferometer. We show a violation of Bell's inequality in the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt form by 15 standard deviations, thus excluding local hidden-variable theories, and a violation of a Leggett-type nonlocal hidden-variable inequality by more than three standard deviations, thus excluding a class of nonlocal hidden-variable theories.

Physical Review A•Mar 25, 2008•27 citations

Leggett-type inequalities for testing nonlocal realism in multipartite systems

Abdul Sattar Khan, Ma-Cheng Yang, Cong‐Feng Qiao

Nonlocal realism represents the last classical cornerstone in conflict with quantum theory, and has been shown to be largely untenable in bipartite systems [Nature 446, 871 (2007); Nature Physics 4, 681 (2008)]. We extend the Leggett-type nonlocal realistic model to arbitrary N-partite systems with polarizer settings, and derive rigorous inequalities that distinguish quantum predictions from nonlocal realistic theories. The derivation yields a fundamental double inequality that is universally valid, from which the Leggett-type bounds follow under specific measurement settings. As an illustration, we demonstrate quantum violations of these inequalities for Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, with maximal violation 2(\sqrt{5}+1). Our results show that nonlocal realism in multipartite systems is experimentally testable.

arXiv:2108.03665•Aug 8, 2021•0 citations

Tests of alternative quantum theories with neutrons

Stephan Sponar, Jürgen Klepp, Claus Schmitzer +4 more

According to Bell’s theorem, every theory based on local realism is at variance with certain predictions of quantum mechanics. A theory that maintains realism but abandons reliance on locality, which has been proposed by Leggett, is incompatible with experimentally observable quantum correlations. In our experiment correlation measurements of spin-energy entangled single-neutrons violate a Leggett-type inequality by more than 7.6 standard deviations. The experimental data falsify the contextual realistic model and are fully in favor of quantum mechanics.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2014•0 citations

Experimental test of non-local realism using a fiber-based source of polarization-entangled photon pairs

Matthew D. Eisaman, Elizabeth A. Goldschmidt, Jingyun Fan +1 more

We test local realistic and non-local realistic theories using a fiber-based source of polarization-entangled photons. Our measurements violate local (certain non-local) hidden-variable theories by 15 (Leggett, A.) standard deviations.

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•May 29, 2008•1 citation

Violation of an inequality in an experimental test of Leggett's non-local hidden variable theory

Michael Nauenberg

I impose previously neglected symmetry conditions in Leggett's non-local hidden variable theory that are required by the conditions in a recent experimental test of this theory. These conditions lead to an inequality for the polarization correlation function that has a maximal violation from the quantum predictions that is 2.5 times larger than reported in this article. Furthermore, when these symmetry conditions are applicable, Leggett's non-local theory also cannot model the observed quantum correlations in previous experiments.

arXiv:0710.3220•Oct 17, 2007•0 citations

Physics of crypto-nonlocality

Miguel Navascués

In 2003, Leggett introduced his model of crypto-nonlocality based on considerations on the reality of photon polarization [A. J. Leggett, Found. Phys. 33, 1469 (2003)]. In this paper, we prove that, contrary to hints in subsequent literature, crypto-nonlocality does not follow naturally from the postulate that polarization is a realistic variable. More explicitly, consider physical theories where (a) faster-than-light communication is impossible, (b) all physical photon states have a definite polarization, and (c) given two separate photons, if we measure one of them and post-select on the result, the measurement statistics of the remaining system correspond to a photon state. We show that the outcomes of any two-photon polarization experiment in these theories must follow the statistics generated by measuring a separable two-qubit quantum state. Consequently, in such experiments any instance of entanglement detection---and not necessarily a Leggett inequality violation---can be regarded as a refutation of this class of theories.

arXiv:1303.5124•Physical Review A•Feb 18, 2014•1 citation

We analyze the class of nonlocal realistic theories that was originally considered by Leggett [Found. Phys. 33, 1469 (2003)10.1023/A:1026096313729] and tested by us in a recent experiment [Nature (London) 446, 871 (2007)10.1038/nature05677]. We derive an incompatibility theorem that works for finite numbers of polarizer settings and that does not require the previously assumed rotational symmetry of the two-particle correlation functions. The experimentally measured case involves seven different measurement settings. Using polarization-entangled photon pairs, we exclude this broader class of nonlocal realistic models by experimentally violating a new Leggett-type inequality by 80 standard deviations.

We describe an experimental test of local realistic and nonlocal realistic theories using polarization-entangled two-photon singlet states created using a fiber-based polarization Sagnac interferometer. We show a violation of Bell's inequality in the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt form by 15 standard deviations, thus excluding local hidden-variable theories, and a violation of a Leggett-type nonlocal hidden-variable inequality by more than three standard deviations, thus excluding a class of nonlocal hidden-variable theories.

Nonlocal realism represents the last classical cornerstone in conflict with quantum theory, and has been shown to be largely untenable in bipartite systems [Nature 446, 871 (2007); Nature Physics 4, 681 (2008)]. We extend the Leggett-type nonlocal realistic model to arbitrary N-partite systems with polarizer settings, and derive rigorous inequalities that distinguish quantum predictions from nonlocal realistic theories. The derivation yields a fundamental double inequality that is universally valid, from which the Leggett-type bounds follow under specific measurement settings. As an illustration, we demonstrate quantum violations of these inequalities for Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, with maximal violation 2(\sqrt{5}+1). Our results show that nonlocal realism in multipartite systems is experimentally testable.

According to Bell’s theorem, every theory based on local realism is at variance with certain predictions of quantum mechanics. A theory that maintains realism but abandons reliance on locality, which has been proposed by Leggett, is incompatible with experimentally observable quantum correlations. In our experiment correlation measurements of spin-energy entangled single-neutrons violate a Leggett-type inequality by more than 7.6 standard deviations. The experimental data falsify the contextual realistic model and are fully in favor of quantum mechanics.

I impose previously neglected symmetry conditions in Leggett's non-local hidden variable theory that are required by the conditions in a recent experimental test of this theory. These conditions lead to an inequality for the polarization correlation function that has a maximal violation from the quantum predictions that is 2.5 times larger than reported in this article. Furthermore, when these symmetry conditions are applicable, Leggett's non-local theory also cannot model the observed quantum correlations in previous experiments.

In 2003, Leggett introduced his model of crypto-nonlocality based on considerations on the reality of photon polarization [A. J. Leggett, Found. Phys. 33, 1469 (2003)]. In this paper, we prove that, contrary to hints in subsequent literature, crypto-nonlocality does not follow naturally from the postulate that polarization is a realistic variable. More explicitly, consider physical theories where (a) faster-than-light communication is impossible, (b) all physical photon states have a definite polarization, and (c) given two separate photons, if we measure one of them and post-select on the result, the measurement statistics of the remaining system correspond to a photon state. We show that the outcomes of any two-photon polarization experiment in these theories must follow the statistics generated by measuring a separable two-qubit quantum state. Consequently, in such experiments any instance of entanglement detection---and not necessarily a Leggett inequality violation---can be regarded as a refutation of this class of theories.