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arXiv:0912.0885

The basic Leggett inequalities don't contradict the quantum theory, neither the classical physics

Sofia Wechsler

Published Dec 4, 2009• 0 citations

Abstract

The basic Leggett inequalities, i.e. those inequalities in which the particular assumptions of Leggett's hidden-variable model (e.g. Malus law) were not yet introduced, are usually derived using hidden-variable distributions of probabilities (although in some cases completely general, positive probabilities would lead to the same result). This fact creates sometimes the illusion that these basic inequalities are a belonging of the hidden-variable theories and are bound to contradict the quantum theory. In the present text the basic Leggett inequalities are derived in the most general way, i.e. no assumption is made that the distribution of probabilities would result from some wave function, or from some set of classical variables. The consequence is that as long as one and the same probability distribution is used in the calculus of all the averages appearing in the basic Leggett inequalities, no contradiction may occur. These inequalities may be violated only when different averages are calculated with different distributions, for example, some of them calculated with the quantum formalism and the others with some distribution of classical parameters.

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.0912.0885

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We address the basic meaning of apparent contradictions of quantum theory and probability frameworks as expressed by Bell's inequalities. We show that these contradictions have their origin in the incomplete considerations of 1:he premises of the derivation of the inequalities. A careful consideration of past work, including that of Boole and Vorob'ev, has lead us to the formulation of extended Boole-Bell inequalities that are binding for both classical and quantum models. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm gedanken experiment and a macroscopic quantum coherence experiment proposed by Leggett and (Garg are both shown to obey the extended Boole-Bell inequalities. These examples as well as additional discussions also provide reasons for apparent violations of these inequalities.

We address the basic meaning of apparent contradictions of quantum theory and probability frameworks as expressed by Bell's inequalities. We show that these contradictions have their origin in the incomplete considerations of the premisses of the derivation of the inequalities. A careful consideration of past work, including that of Boole and Vorob'ev, has lead us to the formulation of extended Boole-Bell inequalities that are binding for both classical and quantum models. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm gedanken experiment and a macroscopic quantum coherence experiment proposed by Leggett and Garg are both shown to obey the extended Boole-Bell inequalities. These examples as well as additional discussions also provide reasons for apparent violations of these inequalities.

A hidden-variable theory is the traditional, but not unique, basis for constructing various types of Bell's theorem. The starting point may also be a recognition of the existence of a positive-definite probability distribution function. This assumption alone is used to formulate and prove Bell's paradoxes of different types. A specific example is used to show that a formal quantum calculation can sometimes give negative values of the joint probabilities that are used in the proof. An attempt is made to identify the physical meaning of this result and an algorithm for determination of negative joint probabilities of this type is proposed.

We consider the so called Legget inequalities which are deduced from the assumption of general (local or non-local) realism plus the arrow of time preservation. Then, instead of assuming cryto-nonlocal hidden variables, we assume any (local or non-local) realism compatible with the joint and non-joint expected values dictated by quantum mwechaanics. Hence, we prove that this double assumption is not consistent, since the corresponding general Leggett inequalities are violated by quantum mechanics. Thus, realism plus arrow of time preservation and quntum mechanics are not compatible. In other words, quantum mechanics cannot be completed with any (local or non-local) hidden variables, provide we assume the common sense of the arrow of time. The result would deserve to be experimentally tested and we discuss why it is not invalidated by hidden variable theories as the one from Bohm.

Bell derived the given inequalities on the basis of one rather forceful assumption that was supposed to hold in the hidden variable theory. However, this assumption has been so strong that it has corresponded only to the classical physics; any dependence on spin orientations of individual objects (i.e., on quantum characteristics) having been practically excluded. And consequently, the hidden-variable theory has not been refused by corresponding experimental data. On the other side, Einstein's criticism of Copenhagen quantum mechanics based on ontological approach refusing nonlocality has been entitled as a much higher limit value corresponds to Bell's probability combination in such a case. And there is not any reason to believe in direct interaction between matter objects at greater distances as shown recently also by K. Hess on the basis of another approach.

We use two different approaches to derive multipartite Leggett-type inequalities, which are generalizations of the two-qubit Leggett-type inequality obtained in [Nature Phys. \textbf{4}, 681 (2008)]. The first approach is based on the assumption that the probability distributions should be non-negative. The second approach is based on a very simple algebraic equation and is, to some extent, easier than the first approach. Although these inequalities might not be the optimal ones in the sense that their quantum violations may not be the strongest, our results make the first step of generalizing Leggett-type inequality to multi-qubit systems and provide the possibility to experimentally test non-local realism in such systems. Moreover, the two approaches here may shed new light on the challenging problem of obtaining stronger multipartite Leggett-type inequalities.