Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields

Proposed experiment to test the nonseparability of quantum mechanics

Alain Aspect

Published Oct 15, 1976• 242 citations

Abstract

As a criterion between quantum mechanics and local hidden-variable theories, the so-called Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox is mainly tested in the form of the statistical correlation between polarizations of photons issuing from a cascade transition. It has been stated more than once that an improved form of the test would make use of polarizers, the orientation of which would change randomly in a time comparable with the time of flight of the two photons; the Bell locality assumption could then be replaced by a weaker assumption also considered by Bell: The Einstein principle of separability. However, to our knowledge, no workable experimental scheme has yet been proposed, and we believe the one described in this paper to be a workable one. After explaining the difference between the Bell locality assumption and the Einstein principle of separability, we briefly discuss the theoretical implications of the modified experiment. The overall scheme of the apparatus we are proposing is described, and the generalized Bell inequalities, modified for our case, are derived. As in previous experiments, supplementary assumptions are made in order to derive experimentally testable inequalities. Finally, we describe the device we intend to use to carry out the proposed scheme.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.14.1944

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