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jeremyfiennes
- 323
- 17
The thread I wanted to post my question on got closed. Recapitulating:
The best (simplest) account I have found to date for the Bell inequality (SPOT stands for Single Photon Orientation Tester):
Imagine that each random sequence that comes out of the SPOT detectors is a coded message. When both SPOT detectors are aligned, these messages are exactly the same. When the detectors are misaligned, "errors" are generated and the sequences contain a certain number of mismatches. How these "errors" might be generated is the gist of this proof. Step One: Start by aligning both SPOT detectors. No errors are observed. Step Two: Tilt the A detector till errors reach 25%. This occurs at a mutual misalignment of 30 degrees. Step Three: Return A detector to its original position (100% match). Now tilt the B detector in the opposite direction till errors reach 25%. This occurs at a mutual misalignment of -30 degrees. Step Four: Return B detector to its original position (100% match). Now tilt detector A by +30 degrees and detector B by -30 degrees so that the combined angle between them is 60 degrees. What is now the expected mismatch between the two binary code sequences? We assume, following John Bell's lead, that REALITY IS LOCAL. Assuming a local reality means that, for each A photon, whatever hidden mechanism determines the output of Miss A's SPOT detector, the operation of that mechanism cannot depend on the setting of Mr B's distant detector. In other words, in a local world, any changes that occur in Miss A's coded message when she rotates her SPOT detector are caused by her actions alone. And the same goes for Mr B. The locality assumption means that any changes that appear in the coded sequence B when Mr B rotates his SPOT detector are caused only by his actions and have nothing to do with how Miss A decided to rotate her SPOT detector. So with this restriction in place (the assumption that reality is local), let's calculate the expected mismatch at 60 degrees. Starting with two completely identical binary messages, if A's 30 degree turn introduces a 25% mismatch and B's 30 degree turn introduces a 25% mismatch, then the total mismatch (when both are turned) can be at most 50%. In fact the mismatch should be less than 50% because if the two errors happen to occur on the same photon, a mismatch is converted to a match. Thus, simple arithmetic and the assumption that Reality is Local leads one to confidently predict that the code mismatch at 60 degrees must be less than 50%. However both theory and experiment show that the mismatch at 60 degrees is 75%. The code mismatch is 25% greater than can be accounted for by independent error generation in each detector. Therefore the locality assumption is false. Reality must be non-local.
Great. Finally an explanation of Bell's theorem that even I can understand! My question relates to the following part: "Imagine that each random sequence that comes out of the SPOT detectors is a coded message. When both SPOT detectors are aligned, these messages are exactly the same. When the detectors are misaligned, "errors" are generated and the sequences contain a certain number of mismatches." A "mismatch" however would be a mismatch with respect to the code emitted by the other detector, implying a communication between the two. Does not this violate their independence?
Thanks.
The best (simplest) account I have found to date for the Bell inequality (SPOT stands for Single Photon Orientation Tester):
Imagine that each random sequence that comes out of the SPOT detectors is a coded message. When both SPOT detectors are aligned, these messages are exactly the same. When the detectors are misaligned, "errors" are generated and the sequences contain a certain number of mismatches. How these "errors" might be generated is the gist of this proof. Step One: Start by aligning both SPOT detectors. No errors are observed. Step Two: Tilt the A detector till errors reach 25%. This occurs at a mutual misalignment of 30 degrees. Step Three: Return A detector to its original position (100% match). Now tilt the B detector in the opposite direction till errors reach 25%. This occurs at a mutual misalignment of -30 degrees. Step Four: Return B detector to its original position (100% match). Now tilt detector A by +30 degrees and detector B by -30 degrees so that the combined angle between them is 60 degrees. What is now the expected mismatch between the two binary code sequences? We assume, following John Bell's lead, that REALITY IS LOCAL. Assuming a local reality means that, for each A photon, whatever hidden mechanism determines the output of Miss A's SPOT detector, the operation of that mechanism cannot depend on the setting of Mr B's distant detector. In other words, in a local world, any changes that occur in Miss A's coded message when she rotates her SPOT detector are caused by her actions alone. And the same goes for Mr B. The locality assumption means that any changes that appear in the coded sequence B when Mr B rotates his SPOT detector are caused only by his actions and have nothing to do with how Miss A decided to rotate her SPOT detector. So with this restriction in place (the assumption that reality is local), let's calculate the expected mismatch at 60 degrees. Starting with two completely identical binary messages, if A's 30 degree turn introduces a 25% mismatch and B's 30 degree turn introduces a 25% mismatch, then the total mismatch (when both are turned) can be at most 50%. In fact the mismatch should be less than 50% because if the two errors happen to occur on the same photon, a mismatch is converted to a match. Thus, simple arithmetic and the assumption that Reality is Local leads one to confidently predict that the code mismatch at 60 degrees must be less than 50%. However both theory and experiment show that the mismatch at 60 degrees is 75%. The code mismatch is 25% greater than can be accounted for by independent error generation in each detector. Therefore the locality assumption is false. Reality must be non-local.
Great. Finally an explanation of Bell's theorem that even I can understand! My question relates to the following part: "Imagine that each random sequence that comes out of the SPOT detectors is a coded message. When both SPOT detectors are aligned, these messages are exactly the same. When the detectors are misaligned, "errors" are generated and the sequences contain a certain number of mismatches." A "mismatch" however would be a mismatch with respect to the code emitted by the other detector, implying a communication between the two. Does not this violate their independence?
Thanks.