Understanding Entangled Electrons: Creation, Isolation, and Observation

[RJ Emery]

I am reading and trying to understand “Spooky Action,” an article that has been published in Scientific American, December, 2018, starting on page 60. To begin:

1) How does one create a pair of entangled electrons, especially with spin sideways?

2) How does one then isolate one electron from the other and place them some distance apart?

3) What is the appartus used to inject the isolated electron into a magnetic field and then observe the spin change?

Please note that I am a retired engineer with an interest in physics.

 

[Nugatory]

You may get better answers if you can provide a bit more information about what you're reading, as not everyone has a paper copy of the magazine handy. (For what little it is worth, a google search for "'Spooky Actions' Scientific American" a few minutes ago turned up nothing from December 2018).

Even without the article... Does the article at least identify the researchers whose work they're reporting? If so, you may be able to find their paper online somewhere, or find a preprint at arXiv.org. Either will be far more complete and informative than the average Scientific American article these days.

 

[RJ Emery]

Who wrote the SA article is irrelevant. The EPR experiment has been conducted numerous times in many places since the 1930s, on Earth and in Space. A simple Google search, using the keywords “spooky” and “action”, will reveal that. In any event, the SA article preview can be found at:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/spooky-quantum-action-passes-test/

Despite the headline, the title page displays “Spooky Action” in big, bold letters. I cannot provide a copy since it is copyrighted material. Any experimentalist who works in Quantum Mechanics should be able to answer my general questions.

 

[Nugatory]

The EPR experiment has been conducted numerous times in many places since the 1930s, on Earth and in Space. A simple Google search, using the keywords “spooky” and “action”, will reveal that

If you're just looking for EPR experiments, yes that's an easy search, but when you follow the links you will find mostly experiments done with photons, not the electrons you were asking about.

However, if you've heard something about an experiment specifically done with electrons and considered noteworthy... there's a pretty good chance that it is this one: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1508.05949.pdf

It was extensively discussed here shortly after its publication.

 

[DrChinese]

Who wrote the SA article is irrelevant. The EPR experiment has been conducted numerous times ...

It matters to us. There are literally hundreds of variations. It is impossible to know what you are trying to do with your questions. without some understanding of what element of a Bell test you are inquiring about.

So can you be more specific? Is it electrons in particular you want to ask about? Or entangled particles in general?

Generally, entangled pairs are created and there are detectors at separated points where they are likely to appear. There is often no attempt made to corral every single pair. Photons are often used rather than electrons, because their creation is easier and it is easier to manipulate and detect them.

 

[RJ Emery]

Is it electrons in particular you want to ask about? Or entangled particles in general?

Both. Electrons specifically but any entangled particles in general. I seek to know how they are made, segregated, isolated, transported, etc.

 

[f95toli]

Both. Electrons specifically but any entangled particles in general. I seek to know how they are made, segregated, isolated, transported, etc.

Have a look at some publications related to spin qubits using quantum dots.
There are lots of them, this one is open access
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41534-016-0003-1

 

[Lord Jestocost]

...but any entangled particles in general.

Maybe, Chad Orzel's blog entry "How Do You Create Quantum Entanglement?" might be of help: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chador...you-create-quantum-entanglement/#2e2d7fbd1732

 

[DrChinese]

Both. Electrons specifically but any entangled particles in general. I seek to know how they are made, segregated, isolated, transported, etc.

Here's a good one for photon entanglement, quite a bit of detail.

https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0205171

I couldn't quickly find a good one on electrons, sorry.