We report correlation measurements on two ^{9}Be^{+} ions that violate a chained Bell inequality obeyed by any local-realistic theory. The correlations can be modeled as derived from a mixture of a local-realistic probabilistic distribution and a distribution that violates the inequality. A statistical framework is formulated to quantify the local-realistic fraction allowable in the observed distribution without the fair-sampling or independent-and-identical-distributions assumptions. We exclude models of our experiment whose local-realistic fraction is above 0.327 at the 95% confidence level. This bound is significantly lower than 0.586, the minimum fraction derived from a perfect Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality experiment. Furthermore, our data provide a device-independent certification of the deterministically created Bell states.
We report correlation measurements on two ^{9}Be^{+} ions that violate a chained Bell inequality obeyed by any local-realistic theory. The correlations can be modeled as derived from a mixture of a local-realistic probabilistic distribution and a distribution that violates the inequality. A statistical framework is formulated to quantify the local-realistic fraction allowable in the observed distribution without the fair-sampling or independent-and-identical-distributions assumptions. We exclude models of our experiment whose local-realistic fraction is above 0.327 at the 95% confidence level. This bound is significantly lower than 0.586, the minimum fraction derived from a perfect Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality experiment. Furthermore, our data provide a device-independent certification of the deterministically created Bell states.
In any Bell test, loopholes can cause issues in the interpretation of the results, since an apparent violation of the inequality may not correspond to a violation of local realism. An important example is the coincidence-time loophole that arises when detector settings might influence the time when detection will occur. This effect can be observed in many experiments where measurement outcomes are to be compared between remote stations because the interpretation of an ostensible Bell violation strongly depends on the method used to decide coincidence. The coincidence-time loophole has previously been studied for the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt and Clauser-Horne inequalities, but recent experiments have shown the need for a generalization. Here, we study the generalized ``chained'' inequality by Pearle, Braunstein, and Caves (PBC) with $N\ensuremath{\ge}2$ settings per observer. This inequality has applications in, for instance, quantum key distribution where it has been used to reestablish security. In this paper we give the minimum coincidence probability for the PBC inequality for all $N\ensuremath{\ge}2$ and show that this bound is tight for a violation free of the fair-coincidence assumption. Thus, if an experiment has a coincidence probability exceeding the critical value derived here, the coincidence-time loophole is eliminated.
A correlation inequality is derived from local realism and a supplementary assumption. Unlike Clauser-Horne (CH) inequality [or Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality] which is violated by quantum mechanics by a factor of 2, this inequality is violated by a factor of 1.5. Thus the magnitude of violation of this inequality is approximately 20.7% larger than the magnitude of violation of previous inequalities. Moreover, unlike CH (or CHSH) inequality which requires the measurement of five detection probabilities, the present inequality requires the measurement of only two detection probabilities. This inequality can therefore be used to test locality more simply than CH or CHSH inequality.
A correlation inequality is derived from local realism and a supplementary assumption. This inequality is violated by a factor of 1.5 in the case of real experiments, whereas previous inequalities such as Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality of 1969 and Clauser-Horne inequality of 1974 are violated by a factor of 2. Thus the magnitude of violation of this inequality is approximately 20.7% larger than the magnitude of violation of previous inequalities. Moreover, the present inequality can be used to test locality very simply because it requires the measurements of only two detection probabilities. In contrast, Clauser-Horne inequality requires the measurements of five detection probabilities.
Self-testing is a device-independent technique based on non-local correlations whose aim is to certify the effective uniqueness of the quantum state and measurements needed to produce these correlations. It is known that the maximal violation of some Bell inequalities suffices for this purpose. However, most of the existing self-testing protocols for two devices exploit the well-known Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt Bell inequality or modifications of it, and always with two measurements per party. Here, we generalize the previous results by demonstrating that one can construct self-testing protocols based on the chained Bell inequalities, defined for two devices implementing an arbitrary number of two-output measurements. On the one hand, this proves that the quantum state and measurements leading to the maximal violation of the chained Bell inequality are unique. On the other hand, in the limit of a large number of measurements, our approach allows one to self-test the entire plane of measurements spanned by the Pauli matrices X and Z . Our results also imply that the chained Bell inequalities can be used to certify two bits of perfect randomness.
Summary form only given. In a Bell experiment, one prepares pairs of entangled particles and sends them to two observers, Alice and Bob, for measurement and detection [1]. For some choices of their measurement settings, Alice and Bob may observe strong correlations between their results in accordance with the predictions of quantum mechanical theory. Conversely, any physical theory that assumes no physical influence can be faster than the speed of light and that properties of physical systems are elements of reality [2] - a local realistic theory - can predict only a limited amount of correlation between Alice's and Bob's measurement outcomes. Upon observing correlations sufficient to violate Bell's inequality, Alice and Bob must abandon local realism.It is common that in an experiment, some particles emitted by the source will not be detected. Then the subset of detected particles might display correlations that violate the Bell inequality although the entire ensemble can be described by a local realistic theory [3]. To achieve a conclusive Bell violation without assuming that the detected particles are a “fair” sample, a highly efficient setup is necessary. Due to experimental limitations, fair sampling has been assumed in most Bell experiments performed to date, and it has never been possible to avoid this assumption with photons due to the absence of efficient sources and detectors. Here we report the first Bell experiment with photons that does not rely on any fair-sampling assumption. In our experiment we employ the Eberhard inequality, a Bell inequality that by construction does not rely on the fair-sampling assumption [4]. Our source of entangled photon pairs utilizes bulk-crystal spontaneous parametric downconversion in a Sagnac configuration, which has shown to be very efficient [5, 6]. For photon detection, we employ superconducting transition-edge sensors, which not only offer high efficiency but also are intrinsically free of dark counts [7]. This combination of features is imperative for an experiment in which no correction of count rates can be tolerated. We achieve uncorrected coupling efficiencies over 73% in each arm of our source, facilitating a violation of the inequality by nearly 70 standard deviations after five minutes of measurement. Since the first experimental Bell test, a satisfactory laboratory realization of the motivating gedankenexperiment has remained an outstanding challenge. The two other main assumptions include “locality” [8, 9] and “freedom of choice” [10]. Invoking any of these renders an experiment vulnerable to explanation by a local realistic theory. The realization of an experiment that is free of all three assumptions-a so-called loopholefree Bell test-remains an important outstanding goal for the physics community with strong implications for quantum technologies. We note that with our experiment, photons are the first physical system for which each of these three assumptions has been successfully addressed, albeit in different experiments. This represents promise for practical applications like one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution [11], and in an additional test, we also demonstrate that our experimental apparatus is capable of implementing this protocol on both sides.
An inequality is deduced from Einstein's locality and a supplementary assumption. This inequality defines an experiment that can actually be performed with present technology to test local realism. Quantum mechanics violates this inequality a factor of 1.5. In contrast, quantum mechanics violates previous inequalities [for example, those of J. F. Clauser, M. A. Horne, A. Shimony, and R. A. Holt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 23, 880 (1969); S. J. Freedman and I. F. Clauser ibid. 28, 938 (1972); and J. F. Clauser and M. A. Horne, Phys. Rev. D 10, 526 (1974)] by a factor of 2. Thus the magnitude of violation of the inequality derived in this paper is approximately 20.7% larger than the magnitude of violation of previous inequalities. This result can be particularly important for the experimental test of locality.