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arXiv:1303.5281 · Journal of the Physical Society of Japan

Experimental Test of an Event-Based Corpuscular Model Modification as an Alternative to Quantum Mechanics

G. Brida, Ivo Pietro Degiovanni, Marco Genovese, Alan L. Migdall, Fabrizio Piacentini, Sergey V. Polyakov, Paolo Traina

Published Feb 20, 2013• 7 citations
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Abstract

We present the first experimental test that distinguishes between an event-based corpuscular model (EBCM) [H. De Raedt et al.: J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci. 8 (2011) 1052] of the interaction of photons with matter and quantum mechanics. The test looks at the interference that results as a single photon passes through a Mach-Zehnder interferometer [H. De Raedt et al.: J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 74 (2005) 16]. The experimental results, obtained with a low-noise single-photon source [G. Brida et al.: Opt. Expr. 19 (2011) 1484], agree with the predictions of standard quantum mechanics with a reduced $χ^2$ of 0.98 and falsify the EBCM with a reduced $χ^2$ of greater than 20.

DOI
10.7566/jpsj.82.034004

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We have presented an experimental result, where we show that the predictions of an Event-Based Corpuscular Model (EBCM) from Ref. 2, a model that belongs to a class of non-ergodic models first described by Buonomano, are inconsistent with our measurements. We concluded that traditional quantum mechanics adequately describes our experiment, where pure single photons were used, and that our findings agree with earlier verification experiments by Summhammer, where a poissonian source of heavy particles was used. In their comment, Michielsen et al. disagree with the above conclusions. The central point of their argument is that EBCM predictions would be compatible with the observation, if the Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) under test is modeled as a single system, and not as two independent, non-communicating beam splitters (BS). Unfortunately, the physics of interaction and a quantitative model of communication among the parts of MZI that would make it possible to reduce the model to effectively one memory register are not offered. Furthermore, no modification for a verification experiment that would guarantee the absence of an unspecified interaction is offered. An argument resorting to communication between the MZI parts is not a surprise. It is identical to invoking a locality loophole in Bell inequalities: when one considers communication among the different parts of the experimental apparatus, it is well known that hidden variable models can reproduce the results of Quantum Mechanics (QM). But by invoking an undescribed locality loophole, the EBCM and its verification experiment largely loses its appeal, because it becomes a sub-class of hidden variable theories falsifiable via a locality loophole free Bell test. In this sense, the class of local variable theories with noncommunicating memories per each optical element was by far more interesting and unique, because they provide an independent way for testing. We point out that the argument of Michielsen et al. begs the question by suggesting that more experiments are needed while providing no details on how one may avoid any and all interactions that may lead to replacing the two independent registers in the two beam splitters (as originally proposed in their model) with one collective register. Ultimately, we believe that it is not possible to suggest an experiment, even in principle, that would allow a test similar to that from Ref. 2 with the two beam splitters outside of the light cone, i.e., where one could guarantee that no sub-luminal communication occurs, because the ‘‘message carriers’’ are photons that travel with a luminal speed. Given that this loophole can never be closed, it is really hard to define what ‘‘independent’’ means. In view of this, it is unfortunate that Michielsen et al. do not offer any discussion on how to ensure that optical parts are ‘‘independent’’. Particularly, no details are offered on how to reduce independent BSs to a single system that guarantees that the functionality of the device before and after reduction is consistent with QM. How would that reduction occur in nature? Is this reduction adiabatic or discontinuous? How can one control the transition from a set of non-interacting EBCM elements to a single EBCM element? In other words, where are new registers located, and why are they to be moved from the BS as initially asserted, and how does such a device reproduce laws of QM before, during and after such a drastic transition? We believe that, by invoking a non-formalized locality loophole, Michielsen et al. commend the experimental efforts of Ref. 1, acknowledging that all other aspects of the experiment are flawless. That is, the authors of Ref. 1 conducted a fair experiment, in strict accordance with their initial theoretical proposal, and free of an unintentional bias. In conclusion, the comment does not explain how and why the EBCM model is modified to overcome the Ref. 1 test. Further, it neither clarifies the relevance of the model in its new version nor proposes new tests of it. By invoking a non-formalized locality loophole, the authors implicitly moved their model to a much larger class of local realism models.

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•Jan 1, 2012•4 citations
We present the first experimental test that distinguishes between an event-based corpuscular model (EBCM) [H. De Raedt et al.: J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci. 8 (2011) 1052] of the interaction of photons with matter and quantum mechanics. The test looks at the interference that results as a single photon passes through a Mach-Zehnder interferometer [H. De Raedt et al.: J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 74 (2005) 16]. The experimental results, obtained with a low-noise single-photon source [G. Brida et al.: Opt. Expr. 19 (2011) 1484], agree with the predictions of standard quantum mechanics with a reduced χ2χ^2χ2 of 0.98 and falsify the EBCM with a reduced χ2χ^2χ2 of greater than 20.
We have presented an experimental result, where we show that the predictions of an Event-Based Corpuscular Model (EBCM) from Ref. 2, a model that belongs to a class of non-ergodic models first described by Buonomano, are inconsistent with our measurements. We concluded that traditional quantum mechanics adequately describes our experiment, where pure single photons were used, and that our findings agree with earlier verification experiments by Summhammer, where a poissonian source of heavy particles was used. In their comment, Michielsen et al. disagree with the above conclusions. The central point of their argument is that EBCM predictions would be compatible with the observation, if the Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) under test is modeled as a single system, and not as two independent, non-communicating beam splitters (BS). Unfortunately, the physics of interaction and a quantitative model of communication among the parts of MZI that would make it possible to reduce the model to effectively one memory register are not offered. Furthermore, no modification for a verification experiment that would guarantee the absence of an unspecified interaction is offered. An argument resorting to communication between the MZI parts is not a surprise. It is identical to invoking a locality loophole in Bell inequalities: when one considers communication among the different parts of the experimental apparatus, it is well known that hidden variable models can reproduce the results of Quantum Mechanics (QM). But by invoking an undescribed locality loophole, the EBCM and its verification experiment largely loses its appeal, because it becomes a sub-class of hidden variable theories falsifiable via a locality loophole free Bell test. In this sense, the class of local variable theories with noncommunicating memories per each optical element was by far more interesting and unique, because they provide an independent way for testing. We point out that the argument of Michielsen et al. begs the question by suggesting that more experiments are needed while providing no details on how one may avoid any and all interactions that may lead to replacing the two independent registers in the two beam splitters (as originally proposed in their model) with one collective register. Ultimately, we believe that it is not possible to suggest an experiment, even in principle, that would allow a test similar to that from Ref. 2 with the two beam splitters outside of the light cone, i.e., where one could guarantee that no sub-luminal communication occurs, because the ‘‘message carriers’’ are photons that travel with a luminal speed. Given that this loophole can never be closed, it is really hard to define what ‘‘independent’’ means. In view of this, it is unfortunate that Michielsen et al. do not offer any discussion on how to ensure that optical parts are ‘‘independent’’. Particularly, no details are offered on how to reduce independent BSs to a single system that guarantees that the functionality of the device before and after reduction is consistent with QM. How would that reduction occur in nature? Is this reduction adiabatic or discontinuous? How can one control the transition from a set of non-interacting EBCM elements to a single EBCM element? In other words, where are new registers located, and why are they to be moved from the BS as initially asserted, and how does such a device reproduce laws of QM before, during and after such a drastic transition? We believe that, by invoking a non-formalized locality loophole, Michielsen et al. commend the experimental efforts of Ref. 1, acknowledging that all other aspects of the experiment are flawless. That is, the authors of Ref. 1 conducted a fair experiment, in strict accordance with their initial theoretical proposal, and free of an unintentional bias. In conclusion, the comment does not explain how and why the EBCM model is modified to overcome the Ref. 1 test. Further, it neither clarifies the relevance of the model in its new version nor proposes new tests of it. By invoking a non-formalized locality loophole, the authors implicitly moved their model to a much larger class of local realism models.
We analyze a single-particle Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment in which the path length of one arm may change (randomly or systematically) according to the value of an external two-valued variable xxx, for each passage of a particle through the interferometer. Quantum theory predicts an interference pattern that is independent of the sequence of the values of xxx. On the other hand, corpuscular models that reproduce the results of quantum optics experiments carried out up to this date show a reduced visibility and a shift of the interference pattern depending on the details of the sequence of the values of xxx. The proposed experiment will show that: (1) it can be described by quantum theory, and thus not by the current corpuscular models, or (2) it cannot be described by quantum theory but can be described by the corpuscular models or variations thereof, or (3) it can neither be described by quantum theory nor by corpuscular models. Therefore, the proposed experiment can be used to determine to what extent quantum theory provides a description of observed events beyond the usual statistical level.
A corpuscular simulation model of optical phenomena that does not require the knowledge of the solution of a wave equation of the whole system and reproduces the results of Maxwell's theory by generating detection events one-by-one is presented. The event-based corpuscular model is shown to give a unified description of multiple-beam fringes of a plane parallel plate, single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer, Wheeler's delayed choice, photon tunneling, quantum erasers, two-beam interference, double-slit, and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm and Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments.
We propose a modified single-particle Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment in which the path length of one arm may change (randomly or systematically) according to the value of an external two-valued variable x, for each passage of a particle through the interferometer. Quantum theory predicts an interference pattern that is independent of the sequence of the values of x. On the other hand, corpuscular models that reproduce the results of quantum optics experiments carried out up to this date show a reduced visibility and a shift of the interference pattern depending on the details of the sequence of the values of x. The key question to be answered in a real laboratory experiment is: Which interference pattern is observed? Despite the general believe that quantum theory might be used to describe all single particle experiments, this is an interesting question to be answered since in the proposed experiment the experimental conditions not only continuously change but they might also have causal effects on the passage of the photons through the interferometer. The proposed experiment can be used to determine to what extent quantum theory provides a description of observed events beyond the usual statistical level.
We present a corpuscular simulation model of optical phenomena that does not require the knowledge of the solution of a wave equation of the whole system and reproduces the results of Maxwell's theory by generating detection events one-by-one. The event-based corpuscular model gives a unified description of multiple-beam fringes of a plane parallel plate and single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer, Wheeler's delayed choice, photon tunneling, quantum eraser, two-beam interference, double-slit, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm and Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments. We also discuss the possibility to refute our corpuscular model.
A corpuscular simulation model of optical phenomena that does not require the knowledge of the solution of a wave equation of the whole system and reproduces the results of Maxwell's theory by generating detection events one-by-one is discussed. The event-based corpuscular model gives a unified description of multiple-beam fringes of a plane parallel plate and single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer, Wheeler's delayed choice, photon tunneling, quantum eraser, two-beam interference, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm and Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments. The approach is illustrated by application to a recent proposal for a quantum-controlled delayed choice experiment, demonstrating that also this thought experiment can be understood in terms of particle processes only.