Special relativity violation using entanglement

In summary: Yes! This seems to be the answer. If you see the effect of the unitarty on the entire system, (\mathbb{1}_A\otimes U_{BC}) ( \rho_{AB} \otimes |0\rangle\langle 0 |_C ) (\mathbb{1}_A\otimes U_{BC}^{\dagger}) = \frac{1}{2} (|000\rangle\langle 000| + |111\rangle\langle 111| ) and a measurement of Bob's ancilla collapses the state and destroys the entanglement. Thank you :)
  • #1
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As I understand it, faster than light communication is not possible, but I have a specific example which concludes that it is and I'm trying to find the mistake.

The scheme uses two things
1) An entangled Bell pair ## | \phi \rangle = | 0 0 \rangle + | 1 1 \rangle## ( neglecting normalization )
2) The fact that orthogonal states can be distinguished.

To begin with ## |\phi\rangle ## is given to Alice and Bob each having a qubit.

Bob has in his positions a copying unitary that can copy states ## |0\rangle ## and ## |1\rangle ## to an ancillary qubit and he can then measure this qubit to distinguish them, explicitly the unitary is [tex] U = |0\rangle\langle 0 | \otimes |0\rangle\langle 0 | + | 1\rangle\langle 1 | \otimes | 1\rangle\langle 0 | [/tex]

The unitary acts as, ## U|00\rangle = | 00\rangle## and ##U|10\rangle = | 11\rangle ## thus a measurement of the ancillary gives the state of the qubit in Bob's possession as long as it is either ##|0\rangle## or ##|1\rangle##.

Now suppose that Bob keeps applying ##U## and measuring the ancilla. The reduced density matrix on Bob's side is, ## \rho_b = \frac{1}{2} \left( |0\rangle\langle 0 | + | 1 \rangle\langle 1| \right) ##, the maximally mixed state.
So Bob will measure 0 half the time and 1 half the time. Hence he can determine that
##P(0) = 1/2## and ## P(1) = 1/2.##

Suppose now that Alice makes a measurement on her qubit giving either 0 or 1. The collapsed state
##| \phi^{\prime} \rangle ## is now ## | 00 \rangle ## or ## | 11 \rangle ## making Bob's state ## | 0 \rangle ## or ## | 1 \rangle ##.

Now as Bob keeps measuring, he will determine either,
##P(0) = 1 ## and ## P(1) = 0 ## or ##P(0) = 0## and ##P(1) = 1 ##

Hence asymptotically he can determine that Alice has made the measurement. So the information that a measurement has been made can be operationally determined by Bob even if he is light years away.
 
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  • #3
mfb said:
Your copy looks like a violation of the no-cloning theorem.

The no cloning theorem states that you cannot build a unitary to copy an arbitrary state. However you can still create one that copies known orthogonal states.
 
  • #4
Try checking if the copying unitary will entangle the ancilla and Bob's qubit,m so that after Bob's first measurement on the ancilla he will collapse his qubit.
 
  • #5
atyy said:
Try checking if the copying unitary will entangle the ancilla and Bob's qubit,m so that after Bob's first measurement on the ancilla he will collapse his qubit.

Yes! This seems to be the answer. If you see the effect of the unitarty on the entire system,
[tex] (\mathbb{1}_A\otimes U_{BC}) ( \rho_{AB} \otimes |0\rangle\langle 0 |_C ) (\mathbb{1}_A\otimes U_{BC}^{\dagger}) = \frac{1}{2} (|000\rangle\langle 000| + |111\rangle\langle 111| )[/tex] and a measurement of Bob's ancilla collapses the state and destroys the entanglement. Thank you :)
 

1. What is special relativity violation using entanglement?

Special relativity violation using entanglement is a proposed theory in which the principles of special relativity, which states that the speed of light is constant and the laws of physics are the same for all observers, may be violated. This theory suggests that using quantum entanglement, particles can communicate instantaneously over any distance, which would contradict the principles of special relativity.

2. How does entanglement violate special relativity?

Entanglement violates special relativity by allowing particles to communicate instantaneously, regardless of the distance between them. This would contradict the principle of causality, which states that an effect cannot occur before its cause. It also challenges the idea that the laws of physics are the same for all observers, as the instantaneous communication between particles would appear to be a violation of the cosmic speed limit set by the speed of light.

3. Is there evidence for special relativity violation using entanglement?

Currently, there is no solid evidence to support the theory of special relativity violation using entanglement. While there have been experiments that demonstrate the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, none have definitively shown that it can be used to violate the principles of special relativity. Furthermore, the theory is still highly debated among scientists and is not widely accepted in the scientific community.

4. Why is the idea of special relativity violation using entanglement controversial?

The idea of special relativity violation using entanglement is controversial because it challenges one of the fundamental principles of modern physics. Special relativity has been extensively tested and has been consistently shown to accurately describe the behavior of particles and the universe as a whole. The theory of special relativity violation using entanglement, on the other hand, has not been definitively proven and goes against the well-established principles of special relativity.

5. What are the implications of special relativity violation using entanglement?

If the theory of special relativity violation using entanglement were to be proven true, it would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and the laws of physics. It would challenge the principles of special relativity, which have been a cornerstone of modern physics for over a century. It could also potentially lead to new technologies and ways of communicating that would revolutionize our world as we know it.

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