A simple minimalist argument is given for why some correlations between quantum systems boggle our classical intuition. The argument relies on two elementary physical assumptions, and recovers the standard experimentally testable Bell inequality in a form that applies equally well to correlations between six-sided dice and between photon polarizations. The first assumption, that measurement selection in a first laboratory leaves the measurement statistics in a remote laboratory invariant (no signaling), has been empirically verified, and is shown to be equivalent to the existence of a corresponding joint probability distribution for quantities measured in the first laboratory. The observed violation of the Bell inequality is then equivalent to the failure of a second assumption, that measurement selection in the remote laboratory leaves such a joint distribution invariant. Indeed, the degree of violation lower-bounds the variation of the joint distribution. It directly follows there are just three possible physical mechanisms underlying such violations---action at a distance (superluminality), unavoidable common factors linking measurement choice and distant properties (conspiracy), and intrinsically incompatible physical quantities (complementarity). The argument extends to all Bell inequalities, and is briefly compared with other derivations.
A simple minimalist argument is given for why some correlations between quantum systems boggle our classical intuition. The argument relies on two elementary physical assumptions, and recovers the standard experimentally testable Bell inequality in a form that applies equally well to correlations between six-sided dice and between photon polarizations. The first assumption, that measurement selection in a first laboratory leaves the measurement statistics in a remote laboratory invariant (no signaling), has been empirically verified, and is shown to be equivalent to the existence of a corresponding joint probability distribution for quantities measured in the first laboratory. The observed violation of the Bell inequality is then equivalent to the failure of a second assumption, that measurement selection in the remote laboratory leaves such a joint distribution invariant. Indeed, the degree of violation lower-bounds the variation of the joint distribution. It directly follows there are just three possible physical mechanisms underlying such violations---action at a distance (superluminality), unavoidable common factors linking measurement choice and distant properties (conspiracy), and intrinsically incompatible physical quantities (complementarity). The argument extends to all Bell inequalities, and is briefly compared with other derivations.
Bipartite quantum entangled systems can exhibit measurement correlations that violate Bell inequalities, revealing the profoundly counter-intuitive nature of the physical universe. These correlations reflect the impossibility of constructing joint probability distribution for all values of all the different properties observed in Bell inequality tests. Physically, the impossibility of measuring such distribution experimentally, as set of relative frequencies, is due to the quantum back-action of projective measurements. Weakly coupling to quantum probe, however, produces minimal back-action, and so enables weak measurement of the projector of one observable, followed by projective measurement of non-commuting observable. By this technique it is possible to empirically measure probabilities for all of the values of the observables relevant to Bell test. The marginals of this joint distribution, which we experimentally determine, reproduces all of the observable quantum statistics including violation of the Bell inequality, which we independently measure. This is possible because our distribution, like the weak values for projectors on which it is built, is not constrained to the interval [0, 1]. It was first pointed out by Feynman that, for explaining singlet-state correlations within a [local] hidden variable view of nature ... everything works fine if we permit negative probabilities. However, there are infinitely many such theories. Our method, involving weak-valued singles out unique set of probabilities, and moreover does so empirically.
Abstract Relativistic invariance is a physical law verified in several domains of physics. The impossibility of faster than light influences is not questioned by quantum theory. In quantum electrodynamics, in quantum field theory and in the standard model relativistic invariance is incorporated by construction. Quantum mechanics predicts strong long range correlations between outcomes of spin projection measurements performed in distant laboratories. In spite of these strong correlations marginal probability distributions should not depend on what was measured in the other laboratory what is called shortly: non-signalling. In several experiments, performed to test various Bell-type inequalities, some unexplained dependence of empirical marginal probability distributions on distant settings was observed. In this paper we demonstrate how a particular identification and selection procedure of paired distant outcomes is the most probable cause for this apparent violation of no-signalling principle. Thus this unexpected setting dependence does not prove the existence of superluminal influences and Einsteinian no-signalling principle has to be tested differently in dedicated experiments. We propose a detailed protocol telling how such experiments should be designed in order to be conclusive. We also explain how magical quantum correlations may be explained in a locally causal way.
The Bell theorem and inequality were derived as consequences of seemingly reasonable physical and statistical hypotheses. Bell’s assumptions were used to deduce cross-correlations of three spin measurements on two entangled particles neglecting non-commutation. The assumed correlation functions, later confirmed for certain quantum measurements, violate the Bell inequality. The present paper reviews a more general derivation of the Bell inequality showing that it is identically satisfied by finite data sets whether deterministic or random, after assuming merely that they exist. It is thereafter concerned with the consequences of this result for interpretations of the inequality that result in its violation. A primary finding is that correlation functions have differing forms due to quantum commutation, non-commutation, and conditions of measurement, and result in satisfaction of the Bell inequality used consistently with its derivation. A stochastic process having the same correlation function for all variable pairs is shown to be inconsistent with experimentally reported data. The logic of the three and four variable inequalities is shown to be similar. Finally the inequalities in probabilities are shown to follow from those in correlations with quantum mechanical results satisfying either when properly implemented.
Bipartite quantum entangled systems can exhibit measurement correlations that violate Bell inequalities, revealing the profoundly counter-intuitive nature of the physical universe. These correlations reflect the impossibility of constructing a joint probability distribution for all values of all the different properties observed in Bell inequality tests. Physically, the impossibility of measuring such a distribution experimentally, as a set of relative frequencies, is due to the quantum back-action of projective measurements. Weakly coupling to a quantum probe, however, produces minimal back-action, and so enables a weak measurement of the projector of one observable, followed by a projective measurement of a noncommuting observable. By this technique it is possible to empirically measure weak-valued probabilities for all of the values of the observables relevant to a Bell test. The marginals of this joint distribution, which we experimentally determine, reproduces all of the observable quantum statistics including a violation of the Bell inequality, which we independently measure. This is possible because our distribution, like the weak values for projectors on which it is built, is not constrained to the interval [0,1]. It was first pointed out by Feynman that, for explaining singlet-state correlations within ``a [local] hidden variable view of nature \dots{} everything works fine if we permit negative probabilities.'' However, there are infinitely many such theories. Our method, involving ``weak-valued probabilities,'' singles out a unique set of probabilities, and moreover does so empirically.
John Bell’s theorem of 1964 states that local elements of physical reality, existing independent of measurement, are inconsistent with the predictions of quantum mechanics (Bell, J. S. (1964), Physics (College. Park. Md). Specifically, correlations between measurement results from distant entangled systems would be smaller than predicted by quantum physics. This is expressed in Bell’s inequalities. Employing modifications of Bell’s inequalities, many experiments have been performed that convincingly support the quantum predictions. Yet, all experiments rely on assumptions, which provide loopholes for a local realist explanation of the measurement. Here we report an experiment with polarization-entangled photons that simultaneously closes the most significant of these loopholes. We use a highly efficient source of entangled photons, distributed these over a distance of 58.5 meters, and implemented rapid random setting generation and high-efficiency detection to observe a violation of a Bell inequality with high statistical significance. The merely statistical probability of our results to occur under local realism is less than 3.74×10-31, corresponding to an 11.5 standard deviation effect.
In the derivation of Bell's inequalities, probability distribution is supposed to be a function of only hidden variable. We point out that the true implication of the probability distribution of Bell's correlation function is the distribution of the joint measurement outcomes on the two sides. So it is a function of both hidden variable and settings. In this case, Bell's inequalities fail. Our further analysis shows that Bell's locality holds neither for dependent events nor for independent events. We think that the measurements of EPR pairs are dependent events, thus violation of Bell's inequalities cannot rule out the existence of local hidden variable. In order to explain the results of EPR-type experiments, we suppose that polarization entangled photon pair can be composed of two circularly or linearly polarized photons with correlated hidden variables, and a couple of experiments of quantum measurement are proposed. The first uses delayed measurement on one photon of the EPR pair to demonstrate directly whether measurement on the other could have any non-local influence on it. Then several experiments are suggested to reveal the components of polarization entangled photon pair. The last one uses successive polarization measurements on a pair of EPR photons to show that two photons with a same quantum state will behave in the same way under the same measuring condition.