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arXiv:quant-ph/0311121 · Journal of Optics B Quantum and Semiclassical Optics

Violation of a Bell-like inequality in neutron optical experiments: quantum contextuality

Yuji Hasegawa, Rudolf Loidl, G. Badurek, Matthias Baron, Helmut Rauch

Published Mar 1, 2004• 9 citations
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Abstract

We report a single-neutron optical experiment to demonstrate the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Entanglement is achieved not between particles, but between the degrees of freedom, in this case, for a single-particle. The spin-{\small 1/2} property of neutrons are utilized. The total wave function of the neutron is described in a tensor product Hilbert space. A Bell-like inequality is derived not by a non-locality but by a contextuality. Joint measurements of the spinor and the path properties lead to the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Manipulation of the wavefunction in one Hilbert space influences the result of the measurement in the other Hilbert space. A discussion is given on the quantum contextuality and an entanglement-induced correlation in our experiment.

DOI
10.1088/1464-4266/6/3/002

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We report a single-neutron optical experiment to demonstrate the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Entanglement is achieved not between particles, but between the degrees of freedom, in this case, for a single-particle. The spin-{\small 1/2} property of neutrons are utilized. The total wave function of the neutron is described in a tensor product Hilbert space. A Bell-like inequality is derived not by a non-locality but by a contextuality. Joint measurements of the spinor and the path properties lead to the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Manipulation of the wavefunction in one Hilbert space influences the result of the measurement in the other Hilbert space. A discussion is given on the quantum contextuality and an entanglement-induced correlation in our experiment.
A neutron interferometer experiment which clearly demonstrates the violation of a Bell-like inequality is reported. Entanglement is achieved not between particles, but between the degrees of freedom, in this case, for a single particle. The total wave function of spin-1/2 neutron is described in a tensor product Hilbert space. Appropriate combinations of the direction of spin analysis and the position of the phase shifter allow experimental verification of the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Manipulation of the wave function in one Hilbert space influences the result of the measurement in the other Hilbert space: manipulation without touch! The violation of the Bell-like inequality is discussed in terms of quantum contextuality and an entanglement-induced correlation.
We report an interferometric experiment with spin-1/2 neutrons to demonstrate the violation of a Bell-like inequality. The total wave function of neutrons is described by a tensor product Hilbert space. Appropriate combinations of the direction of the spin analysis and the position of the phase shifter allow to demonstrate the violation of the Bell-like inequality. The discussions are presented on the violation of the Bell-like inequality in terms of quantum contextuality and an entanglement-induced correlation in our experiment.
Neutron optical experiments are presented, which exhibit quantum contextual phenomena. Entanglement is achieved not between particles, but between degrees of freedom, in this case, for a single‐particle. Appropriate combinations of the direction of spin analysis and the position of the phase shifter allow an experimental verification of the violation of a Bell‐like inequality. Our experiments manifest the fact that manipulation of the wavefunction in one Hilbert space influences the result of the measurement in the other Hilbert space: manipulation without touch! Next, we report another experiment which exhibits other peculiarity of quantum contextuality, e.g., originally intended to show a Kochen‐Specker‐like phenomenon. We have introduced inequalities for quantitative analysis of the experiments. The value obtained in the experiments clearly showed violations of prediction by non‐contextual theory. Finally, we have accomplished a tomographic determination of entangled quantum state in single‐neutrons. There, characteristics of the Bell‐sate are confirmed: four poles for the real part of the density matrix are clearly seen.
The Kochen-Specker theorem shows the incompatibility of noncontextual hidden variable theories with quantum mechanics. Quantum contextuality is a more general concept than quantum non-locality which is quite well tested in experiments using Bell inequalities. Within neutron interferometry we performed an experimental test of the Kochen-Specker theorem with an inequality, which identifies quantum contextuality, by using spin-path entanglement of single neutrons. Here entanglement is achieved not between different particles, but between degrees of freedom of a single neutron, i.e., between spin and path degree of freedom. Appropriate combinations of the spin analysis and the position of the phase shifter allow an experimental verification of the violation of an inequality derived from the Kochen-Specker theorem. The observed violation 2.291±0.008≰1 clearly shows that quantum mechanical predictions cannot be reproduced by noncontextual hidden variable theories.
An experimental demonstration of quantum contextuality with neutrons is presented, which intended to exhibit a Kochen-Specker-like phenomenon. Since no perfect correlation is expected in practical experiments, inequalities are derived to distinguish quantitatively the obtained results from predictions by a noncontextual hidden variable theory. Experiments were accomplished with the use of a neutron interferometer combined with spinor manipulation devices. The results clearly violate the prediction of noncontextual theories.