KTH/Nordita/SU seminar in Theoretical Physics

Energy-time Entanglement, Elements of Reality, and Local Realism

by Jan-Åke Larsson (Linköping)

Europe/Stockholm
FA31

FA31

Description
In this talk, I will discuss energy-time entanglement experiments and their relation to Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen elements of reality, and ultimately to the question of local realism. The experiment proposed by J. D. Franson in 1989 will be used as an example, and some observations will be made on the possibility of establishing EPR elements of reality in this setup. A number of modifications to this experiment will also be reviewed, and their properties from this point of view. Even though the different experimental setups give the same interference pattern, the available EPR elements of reality determine if local realism can be tested or not, and the size of the violation. The same interference pattern can imply a) no violation, b) smaller violation than usual from the Bell inequality, or c) full violation of the Bell inequality. This needs to be taken into account when designing and setting up future experiments intended to test local realism.