No Infinite speed on information yet?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of using the double-slit experiment with entangled photon pairs to communicate information at infinite speed. Participants explore the implications of quantum entanglement and measurement on information transmission, questioning the feasibility of encoding binary information through photon detection patterns.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that by controlling the detection of photons at D1, it might be possible to send binary information (1s and 0s) based on whether interference patterns appear at D0.
  • Another participant argues that entanglement does not allow for information transmission because the results are inherently random, and knowing the state of a particle before measurement negates entanglement.
  • A further reply explains that while measurement results can be filtered into complementary interference patterns, the need for prior communication to establish a mechanism for this filtering creates a paradox that undermines the possibility of communication.
  • One participant emphasizes that the collapse of the wavefunction is instantaneous but uncontrollable, suggesting that this lack of control over the state of the collapse makes communication impossible through this method.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the feasibility of using entangled photons for instantaneous communication. Multiple competing views are presented, with some asserting that entanglement precludes information transfer, while others explore the idea of using detection patterns for communication.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations related to the randomness of measurement outcomes, the necessity of prior communication for establishing a mechanism, and the uncontrollable nature of wavefunction collapse, which may affect the discussion's conclusions.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring quantum mechanics, particularly concepts of entanglement, measurement, and their implications for information theory.

seb7
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Could someone explain why we can not use the double split experiment with entangled photon pairs as to communicate information at infinite speed? Switching off and on readers effects whether the other photons displays as interference or as particles; so why can't we use this to send 1 and 0s. (Its probably been asked before, but my searches are not turning up any answers for me.)

1 - photons being deliberately detections by D1 and recorded, thus show particles at D0
0 - photons not being recorded via D1, thus photons show interference at D0.

By firing a constant stream of photos to both D0, D1, surely we can use time to instantly send information from D1 to D0 ?

Here's a sketch, (manipulated from a similar experiment.. )
info-ftl.jpg
 
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You misunderstand entanglement. The results are random so no information is transmitted. That is, if you KNOW what the state is of a particle that's going to hit D1 before it hits, then it is not entangled with anything.
 
It doesn't work because, as soon as the entangled partner is out there, you never see an interference pattern.

dcqe-photon-graph.png


Using the measurement results from the other party, you can filter the result-not-showing-an-interference-pattern into two complementary interference patterns. But they need to tell you the measurement results, which is kind of a catch-22 if you're trying to make a mechanism for communication. You need the mechanism to communicate, but you need to communicate for the mechanism to work. Clearly not going to work very well.
 
There's no way of controlling the information you send (making the use of the word a bit of a misnomer), we know (or pretty sure) that the collapse of the wavefunction is 'instantaneous' now (youtube.com/watch?v=6Dp27XYjHuk) but this doesn't mean one can control what state it collapses in!

If you think carefully about what is described there you see why it's impossible by these means.
 

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