Abstract In this paper we consider the description by a general Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory of bipartite quantum states with two observables per sub-system. We derive Bell inequalities of the Collins-Gisin.-Liden-Massar-Popescu type which involve combinations of the probabilities of related outcomes for measurements for the four pairs of sub-system observables. It is shown that the corresponding quantum theory expressions violate the Bell inequalities in the case of the maximally entangled state of the bipartitite system. The CHSH Bell inequality is also derived from this general CGLMP Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory. This shows that quantum theory can not be underpinned by a Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory. So as a general Bell-type local hidden variable theory has already been shown to conflict with quantum theory, it follows that quantum theory can not be understood in terms of any CGLMP Bell-type hidden variable theory—local or non-local.
Abstract In this paper we consider the description by a general Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory of bipartite quantum states with two observables per sub-system. We derive Bell inequalities of the Collins-Gisin.-Liden-Massar-Popescu type which involve combinations of the probabilities of related outcomes for measurements for the four pairs of sub-system observables. It is shown that the corresponding quantum theory expressions violate the Bell inequalities in the case of the maximally entangled state of the bipartitite system. The CHSH Bell inequality is also derived from this general CGLMP Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory. This shows that quantum theory can not be underpinned by a Bell-type non-local hidden variable theory. So as a general Bell-type local hidden variable theory has already been shown to conflict with quantum theory, it follows that quantum theory can not be understood in terms of any CGLMP Bell-type hidden variable theory—local or non-local.
Quantum non-locality tests have been of interest since the original EPR paper. The present paper discusses whether the CGLMP (Bell) inequalities obtained by Collins et al are possible tests for showing that quantum theory is not underpinned by local hidden variable theory (LHVT). It is found by applying Fine's theorem that the CGLMP approach involves a LHVT for the probabilities associated with measurements on two observables (each from one of the two sub-subsystems), even though the underlying probabilities for measurements of all four observables involve a hidden variable theory which is not required to be local. Although the CGLMP inequalities involve probabilities for measurements of one observable per sub-system and are compatible with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, there is no unambiguous quantum measurement process linked to the probabilities in the CGLMP inequalities. Quantum measurements corresponding to the different classical measurements that give the same CGLMP probability are found to yield different CGLMP probabilities. However, violation of a CGLMP inequality based on any one of the possible quantum measurement sequences is sufficient to show that the Collins et al LHVT does not predict the same results as quantum theory. This is found to occur for a state considered in their paper - though for observables whose physical interpretation is unclear. In spite of the problems of comparing the HVT inequalities with quantum expressions, it is concluded that the CGLMP inequalities are indeed suitable for ruling out local hidden variable theories. The state involved could apply to a macroscopic system, so the CGLMP Bell inequalities are important for finding cases of macroscopic violations of Bell locality. Possible experiments in double-well Bose condensates involving atoms with two hyperfine components are discussed.
Abstract Quantum theory has accounted for a wide range of physical effects in systems ranging from microscopic to macroscopic. However, it is associated with various paradoxes—such as the well-known EPR example. Einstein’s suggestion that the theory was incomplete has led to numerous attempts to underpin quantum theory by a hidden variable theory, including the Bell approach. This approach was originally based on certain assumptions: (i) realism (ii) locality and (iii) non-contextuality. In its developed form, the theory involved only probabilities for outcome values of system observables. For systems involving two sub-systems, the hidden variable theory predicted that correlations between measurement outcomes of observable pairs of from different sub-systems would satisfy certain—such as the CHSH Bell inequality. The inequality was inconsistent with quantum theory predictions and with experiment. Hence, the question arose: Which of the three assumptions was invalid? A widely held view is that a non-local theory is needed—another is that hidden variable theory should be contextual. In this article, derivations of the CHSH Bell inequality based on various combinations of locality/non-locality and non-contextuality/contextuality assumptions are outlined, leading to the conclusion that for a hidden variable theory to underpin quantum theory, it must be both non-local and contextual. Non-locality or contextuality alone is insufficient. However, it is also concluded that the realism assumption is questionable. At present an alternative approach of augmenting quantum theory by adding additional features—such as the deterministic trajectories of Bohmian mechanics (also a non-local theory) may be a better route for completeness.
The categorization of quantum states for composite systems as either separable or entangled, or alternatively as Bell local or Bell non-local states based on local hidden variable theory is outlined, focusing on simple bipartite systems. The significance of states demonstrating Bell non-locality for settling the long standing controversy between the Copenhagen interpretation of the quantum measurement process involving “collapse of the wave-function” and the alternative interpretation based on pre-existing hidden variables is emphasized. Although experiments demonstrating violations of Bell locality in microscopic systems have now been carried out, there is current interest in finding Bell non-locality in quantum systems on a macroscopic scale, since this is a regime where a classical hidden variable theory might still apply. Progress towards finding macroscopic quantum states that violate Bell inequalities is reviewed. A new test for Bell non-locality that applies when the sub-system measured quantities are spin components with large outcomes is described, and applied to four mode systems of identical massive bosons in Bose-Einstein condensates.
The question of how Bell nonlocality behaves in bipartite systems of higher dimensions is addressed. By employing the probability of violation of local realism under random measurements as the figure of merit, we investigate the nonlocality of entangled qudits with dimensions ranging from d=2 up to d=10. We proceed in two complementary directions. First, we study the specific Bell scenario defined by the Collins-Gisin-Linden-Massar-Popescu (CGLMP) inequality. Second, we consider the nonlocality of the same states under a more general perspective by directly addressing the space of joint probabilities (computing the frequencies of behaviours outside the local polytope). In both approaches we find that the nonlocality decreases as the dimension d grows, but in quite distinct ways. While the drop in the probability of violation is exponential in the CGLMP scenario, it presents, at most, a linear decay in the space of behaviors. Furthermore, in the latter approach the states that produce maximal numeric violations in the CGLMP inequality present low probabilities of violation in comparison to maximally entangled states, so no anomaly is observed. Finally, the nonlocality of states with nonmaximal Schmidt rank is investigated.
We study the nonlocality of arbitrary dimensional bipartite quantum states. By computing the maximal violation of a set of multi-setting Bell inequalities, an analytical and computable lower bound has been derived for general two-qubit states. This bound gives the necessary condition that a two-qubit state admits no local hidden variable models. The lower bound is shown to be better than that from the CHSH inequality in judging the nonlocality of some quantum states. The results are generalized to the case of high dimensional quantum states, and a sufficient condition for detecting the non-locality has been presented.
While entanglement and violation of Bell inequalities were initially thought to be equivalent quantum phenomena, we now have different examples of entangled states whose correlations can be described by local hidden--variable models and, therefore, do not violate any Bell inequality. We provide an up to date overview of the existing local hidden--variable models for entangled quantum states, both in the bipartite and multipartite case, and discuss some of the most relevant open questions in this context. Our review covers twenty five years of this line of research since the seminal work by Werner [R. F. Werner, Phys. Rev. A 40, 8 (1989)] providing the first example of an entangled state with a local model, which in turn appeared twenty five years after the seminal work by Bell [J. S. Bell, Physics 1, 195 (1964)], about the impossibility of recovering the predictions of quantum mechanics using a local hidden--variables theory.