Experimental refutation of real-valued quantum mechanics under strict locality conditions

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2201.04177v2
• Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2022 10:58:33 GMT
• Title: Experimental refutation of real-valued quantum mechanics under strict locality conditions
• Authors: Dian Wu, Yang-Fan Jiang, Xue-Mei Gu, Liang Huang, Bing Bai, Qi-Chao Sun, Si-Qiu Gong, Yingqiu Mao, Han-Sen Zhong, Ming-Cheng Chen, Jun Zhang, Qiang Zhang, Chao-Yang Lu, Jian-Wei Pan
• Abstract summary: Physicists describe nature using mathematics as the natural language, and for quantum mechanics, it prefers to use complex numbers. Recently, it has been shown that a three-party correlation created in entanglement swapping scenarios cannot be reproduced using only real numbers. Our results violate the real number bound of 7.66 by 5.30 standard deviations, hence rejecting the universal validity of the real-valued quantum mechanics to describe nature.
• Score: 15.98149438495762
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Physicists describe nature using mathematics as the natural language, and for quantum mechanics, it prefers to use complex numbers. However, whether complex numbers are really necessary for the theory has been debated ever since its birth. Recently, it has been shown that a three-party correlation created in entanglement swapping scenarios comprising independent states and measurements cannot be reproduced using only real numbers. Previous experiments have conceptually supported the predication, yet not satisfying the independent state preparations and measurements simultaneously. Here, we implement such a test with two truly independent sources delivering entangled photons to three parties under strict locality conditions. By employing fast quantum random number generators and high-speed polarization measurements, we space-like separate all relevant events to ensure independent state preparations and measurements, and close locality loopholes simultaneously. Our results violate the real number bound of 7.66 by 5.30 standard deviations, hence rejecting the universal validity of the real-valued quantum mechanics to describe nature.

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