How to create quantum entangled electrons

The scattering could be as simple as two electrons in an atom swapping an orbit and emitting a photon.
  • #1
IsaiahvH
I understand that one way of creating quantum entangled electrons is by splitting a Cooper pair. Is then their spin property used in the measurement, as this must always sum to ##0## for a Cooper pair?
If that is the case, do quantum entangled electrons only exist in the singlet state, where the spin is always opposite to one another?
$$\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(\left|01\right> \pm \left|10 \right>)$$

Are there other methods of creating quantum entangled electrons?
 
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  • #2
Any atom (except for hydrogen atoms) is surrounded by several entangled electrons.
 
  • #3
IsaiahvH said:
I understand that one way of creating quantum entangled electrons is by splitting a Cooper pair. Is then their spin property used in the measurement, as this must always sum to ##0## for a Cooper pair?
If that is the case, do quantum entangled electrons only exist in the singlet state, where the spin is always opposite to one another?
$$\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(\left|01\right> \pm \left|10 \right>)$$

Are there other methods of creating quantum entangled electrons?

It seems to me you may be getting the terminology mixed up here.

The singlet state is ##|0 \ 0\rangle = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} (\uparrow \downarrow - \downarrow \uparrow)##.

The triplet is a combination of 3 states, so called because they share a common value for total spin:

##|1 \ 1\rangle =\ \uparrow \uparrow##
##|1 \ 0\rangle = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} (\uparrow \downarrow + \downarrow \uparrow)##
##|1 \ -\!1\rangle =\ \downarrow \downarrow##
 
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  • #4
PeroK said:
It seems to me you may be getting the terminology mixed up here.

The singlet state is ##|0 \ 0\rangle = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} (\uparrow \downarrow - \downarrow \uparrow)##.

The triplet is a combination of 3 states, so called because they share a common value for total spin:

##|1 \ 1\rangle =\ \uparrow \uparrow##
##|1 \ 0\rangle = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} (\uparrow \downarrow + \downarrow \uparrow)##
##|1 \ -\!1\rangle =\ \downarrow \downarrow##

Where are you getting that notation from? In quantum information the singlet state is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \left( |01\rangle - |10\rangle \right)##. Certainly not ##|00\rangle##. That's the "both qubits are in the off state" state.
 
  • #5
Strilanc said:
Where are you getting that notation from? In quantum information the singlet state is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \left( |01\rangle - |10\rangle \right)##. Certainly not ##|00\rangle##. That's the "both qubits are in the off state" state.

I thought we were talking about electrons and that that notation was fairly standard.
 
  • #6
IsaiahvH said:
..
Are there other methods of creating quantum entangled electrons?
Yes there is another way. Two entangled photons can interact with two electorns and swap the entanglement to the electrons. I haven't got the details to hand but I'll search.
 
  • #7
Strilanc said:
Where are you getting that notation from? In quantum information the singlet state is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \left( |01\rangle - |10\rangle \right)##. Certainly not ##|00\rangle##. That's the "both qubits are in the off state" state.
I believe that @PeroK is using a convention in which the spin state of the individual particles is represented with up and down arrows, and a ket containing two numbers is the state with total spin given by the first number and projection of the total spin by the second. That's not the convention being used elsewhere in this thread, and I don't know how common it is, but I'm pretty sure it was the one used back when I learned about quantum spin.
 
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  • #8
IsaiahvH said:
I understand that one way of creating quantum entangled electrons is by splitting a Cooper pair. Is then their spin property used in the measurement, as this must always sum to ##0## for a Cooper pair?
If that is the case, do quantum entangled electrons only exist in the singlet state, where the spin is always opposite to one another?
$$\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(\left|01\right> \pm \left|10 \right>)$$
Are there other methods of creating quantum entangled electrons?

Entangled electrons don't only exist in the singlet state. They can also have, for instance, positively correlated spins.

There are a number of methods of creating entangled electrons and particles. Unfortunately I don't know what they are, ask an experimenter. For photons, there's parametric downconversion, SPS cascades, annihilation of spin-zero particle states into two gamma rays, etc.

Finally, I'm supposing you mean to "create" the pair in the lab for entanglement experiments. In "the wild" they exist everywhere. As @A. Neumaier says, they exist in an atom. For instance whenever an orbit has two electrons they must have opposite spins. Generally whenever two particles interact in any way they become entangled (maybe there are exceptions). For instance if they scatter off each other, the sum of their outgoing momenta must equal sum of ingoing momenta - they're entangled.
 
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1. How do you create quantum entangled electrons?

The most common way to create quantum entangled electrons is through the process of quantum entanglement. This involves preparing two or more electrons in a specific quantum state and then manipulating them using quantum operations to become entangled. This can be done using various techniques such as superposition, measurement, and entanglement swapping.

2. What are the potential uses of quantum entangled electrons?

Quantum entangled electrons have a wide range of potential uses in various fields such as quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum sensing. They can also be used for secure communication, precision measurements, and quantum simulations.

3. How is quantum entanglement different from classical entanglement?

Quantum entanglement is fundamentally different from classical entanglement in that it involves the principles of quantum mechanics. While classical entanglement is based on correlations between physical properties, quantum entanglement is based on the non-local and non-deterministic nature of quantum particles.

4. Can quantum entangled electrons be used for faster communication?

Quantum entanglement does not allow for faster-than-light communication, which is prohibited by the laws of physics. However, it can be used to create secure and tamper-proof communication channels, which can be useful for transmitting sensitive information.

5. What challenges need to be overcome to create quantum entangled electrons?

Creating and manipulating quantum entangled electrons is a complex and technically challenging process. Some of the main challenges include maintaining the coherence and stability of the entangled state, minimizing the effects of decoherence from external factors, and developing reliable methods for measurement and control.

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