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Demonstrating the contextuality of quantum mechanics with observables in Hilbert spaces of arbitrary dimensions

Adrien Laversanne-Finot, Andreas Ketterer, Mariana R. Barros, Stephen Patrick Walborn, T. Coudreau, Arne Keller, P. Milman

Published Dec 10, 2015• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

The contextuality of quantum mechanics can be shown by the violation of inequalities based on measurements of well chosen observables. An important property of such observables is that their expectation value can be expressed in terms of probabilities of obtaining two exclusive outcomes. In order to satisfy this, inequalities have been constructed using either observables with a dichotomic spectrum or using periodic functions obtained from displacement operators in phase space. Here we unify both strategies by introducing general conditions to demonstrate the contextuality of quantum mechanics from measurements of observables of arbitrary dimensions. Among the consequences of our results is the impossibility of having a maximal violation of contextuality in the Peres-Mermin scenario with discrete observables of odd dimensions. In addition, we show how to construct a large class of observables with a continuous spectrum enabling the realization of contextuality tests both in the gaussian and non-gaussian regimes.

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The Kochen-Specker theorem, Bell inequalities, and several other tests that were designed to rule out hidden-variable theories, assume the existence of observables having infinitely sharp eigenvalues. A paradigmatic example is spin-1/2. It is measured with a Stern-Gerlach array whose outputs are divided into two classes, spin-up and spin-down, in correspondence to the two spots observed on a detection screen. The spot's finite size is attributed to imperfections of the measuring device. This assumption turns the experimental output into a dichotomic, discrete one, thereby allowing the assignment of each spot to an infinitely sharp eigenvalue. Alternatively, one can assume that the spot's finite size stems from eigenvalues spanning a continuous range. Can we disprove such an assumption? Can we rule out hidden-variable theories that reproduce quantum predictions by assuming that, e.g., the electron's magnetic moment is not exactly the same for all electrons? We address these questions by focusing on the Peres-Mermin version of the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem. It is shown that the assumption of unsharp eigenvalues precludes ruling out non-contextual hidden-variable theories and hence quantum contextuality does not arise. Analogous results hold for Bell-like inequalities. This represents a new loophole that spoils several fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and issues the challenge to close it.

arXiv:1410.0409•Oct 1, 2014•0 citations
The contextuality of quantum mechanics can be shown by the violation of inequalities based on measurements of well chosen observables. An important property of such observables is that their expectation value can be expressed in terms of probabilities of obtaining two exclusive outcomes. In order to satisfy this, inequalities have been constructed using either observables with a dichotomic spectrum or using periodic functions obtained from displacement operators in phase space. Here we unify both strategies by introducing general conditions to demonstrate the contextuality of quantum mechanics from measurements of observables of arbitrary dimensions. Among the consequences of our results is the impossibility of having a maximal violation of contextuality in the Peres-Mermin scenario with discrete observables of odd dimensions. In addition, we show how to construct a large class of observables with a continuous spectrum enabling the realization of contextuality tests both in the gaussian and non-gaussian regimes.
Abstract The contextuality of quantum mechanics can be shown by the violation of inequalities based on measurements of well chosen observables. An important property of such observables is that their expectation value can be expressed in terms of probabilities for obtaining two exclusive outcomes. Examples of such inequalities have been constructed using either observables with a dichotomic spectrum or using periodic functions obtained from displacement operators in phase space. Here we identify the general conditions on the spectral decomposition of observables demonstrating state independent contextuality of quantum mechanics. Our results not only unify existing strategies for maximal violation of state independent non-contextuality inequalities but also lead to new scenarios enabling such violations. Among the consequences of our results is the impossibility of having a state independent maximal violation of non-contextuality in the Peres–Mermin scenario with discrete observables of odd dimensions.
The contextuality of quantum mechanics can be shown by the violation of inequalities based on measurements of well chosen observables. These inequalities have been designed separately for both discrete and continuous variables. Here we unify both strategies by introducing general conditions to demonstrate the contextuality of quantum mechanics from measurements of observables of arbitrary dimensions. Among the consequences of our results is the impossibility of having a maximal violation of contextuality in the Peres-Mermin scenario with discrete observables of odd dimensions. In addition, we show how to construct a large class of observables with a continuous spectrum enabling the realization of contextuality tests both in the Gaussian and non-Gaussian regimes.
We present a general framework for contextuality tests in phase space using displacement operators. First, we derive a general condition that a single-mode displacement operator should fulfill in order to construct Peres-Mermin square and similar scenarios. This approach offers a straightforward scheme for experimental implementations of the tests via modular variable measurements. In addition to the continuous variable case, our condition can also be applied to finite-dimensional systems in discrete phase space, using Heisenberg-Weyl operators. This approach, therefore, offers a unified picture of contextuality with a geometric flavor.
Contextuality is a necessary resource for universal quantum computation and non-contextual quantum mechanics can be simulated efficiently by classical computers in many cases. Orders of Planck's constant, ℏ, can also be used to characterize the classical-quantum divide by expanding quantities of interest in powers of ℏ—all orders higher than ℏ 0 can be interpreted as quantum corrections to the order ℏ 0 term. We show that contextual measurements in finite-dimensional systems have formulations within the Wigner–Weyl–Moyal (WWM) formalism that require higher than order ℏ 0 terms to be included in order to violate the classical bounds on their expectation values. As a result, we show that contextuality as a resource is closely related to orders of ℏ as a resource within the WWM formalism. This offers an explanation for why qubits can only exhibit state-independent contextuality under Pauli observables as in the Peres–Mermin square while odd-dimensional qudits can also exhibit state-dependent contextuality. In particular, qubit states exhibit contextuality when measured by qubit Pauli observables regardless of the state being measured and so the Weyl symbol of these observables lack an order ℏ 0 contribution altogether. On the other hand, odd-dimensional qudit states exhibit contextuality when measured by qudit observables depending on the state measured and so odd-dimensional qudit observables generally possess non-zero order ℏ 0 terms, and higher, in their WWM formulation: odd-dimensional qudit states that exhibit measurement contextuality have an order ℏ 1 contribution in their expectation values with the observable that allows for the violation of classical bounds while states that have insufficiently large order ℏ 1 contributions do not exhibit measurement contextuality.
Quantum information can be processed in two fundamentally different ways, using either discrete or continuous variable implementations. Each one of them provides different practical advantages and drawbacks. In this thesis we study theoretical means allowing to implement quantum information protocols originally formulated for discrete quantum systems in physical objects characterized by continuous variables. At the heart of our considerations is the use of modular variables as helpful technique to reveal discrete structure in continuous-variable states, operations and observables. The present work is strongly guided by the experimental applicability of our ideas in quantum optics experiments, with a particular focus on the transverse degrees of freedom of single photons.One of the main themes of this thesis is the formulation of a framework for quantum information processing in phase-space based on the use of modular variables. The term modular variables refers to a specific class of observables that are periodic with respect to some pair of conjugate variables. In our framework we use these periodic observables in order to encode discrete quantum information in Hilbert spaces of infinite dimension. In particular, we consider protocols that involve measurements of judiciously chosen logical observables enabling the readout of the encoded discrete quantum information from the corresponding logical states. Using this framework we show how to perform tests of fundamental properties of quantum mechanics, such as entanglement, Bell nonlocality and contextuality, in Hilbert spaces of various dimensions. Particularly, we generalize known tests of each of these properties, that were originally formulated for measurements with discrete outcomes, to more general measurement contexts comprising the case of bounded continuous outcomes. Concerning experimental implementations of the presented theoretical elaborations we discuss the transverse degrees of freedom of single photons as a natural platform to manipulate and measure modular variables. In particular, we demonstrate how to process discrete quantum information encoded in the spatial distribution of single photons via the optical Talbot effect - a near-field interference effect. Finally, we show how to produce d-dimensional entangled Talbot photon pairs without post-selection, using spontaneous parametric down-conversion and linear optical elements only. As last topic we explore the nonlocal properties of a specific class of hybrid entanglement between particle-like and wave-like optical qubits. Using a hybrid measurement scheme of Pauli and displaced parity measurements we show that, even after including realistic experimental losses, a violation of local-realism is theoretically possible.
The Kochen-Specker theorem, Bell inequalities, and several other tests that were designed to rule out hidden-variable theories, assume the existence of observables having infinitely sharp eigenvalues. A paradigmatic example is spin-1/2. It is measured with a Stern-Gerlach array whose outputs are divided into two classes, spin-up and spin-down, in correspondence to the two spots observed on a detection screen. The spot's finite size is attributed to imperfections of the measuring device. This assumption turns the experimental output into a dichotomic, discrete one, thereby allowing the assignment of each spot to an infinitely sharp eigenvalue. Alternatively, one can assume that the spot's finite size stems from eigenvalues spanning a continuous range. Can we disprove such an assumption? Can we rule out hidden-variable theories that reproduce quantum predictions by assuming that, e.g., the electron's magnetic moment is not exactly the same for all electrons? We address these questions by focusing on the Peres-Mermin version of the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem. It is shown that the assumption of unsharp eigenvalues precludes ruling out non-contextual hidden-variable theories and hence quantum contextuality does not arise. Analogous results hold for Bell-like inequalities. This represents a new loophole that spoils several fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and issues the challenge to close it.