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European Journal of Physics

Quantum optics for undergraduate lab work revisited

Jonathan Doering, Florian Bayer, J Haase, Kim-Alessandro Weber, Jens Küchenmeister, Ruediger Scholz

Published Jul 10, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a new lab work concept promoting a series of quantum optics experiments: experimental milestones on the quantum behaviour of light designed for undergraduate lab work. The experiments may be carried out with considerably less effort while addressing the fundamentals of quantum theory: quantum states and their superposition, detected via the propagation phase of probability amplitudes; quantum nonlocality, detected via the change of the state due to localized detection; quantum entanglement , detected via the violation of Bell ’s inequality (CHSH criterion). The experimental setup is designed to meet the requirements of barrier-free multilevel use in undergraduate physics lab courses: students’ labs for secondary school students, undergraduate university labs for physics students (science and science education) and lab work assisted courses for the training of in-service physics teachers. This article is aimed to describe the basics of the setup and to show how the experiments may be implemented into lab courses to match different educational course levels. The experimental series could prove to be promising in terms of fruitful discussion of quantum theory fundamentals without semiclassical pitfalls.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6404/adedd7

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