Can different quantum state vectors correspond to the same physical state? An experimental test

Daniel Nigg; Thomas Monz; Philipp Schindler; Esteban A. Martinez; Markus Hennrich; Rainer Blatt; Matthew F. Pusey; Terry Rudolph; Jonathan Barrett

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007

Can different quantum state vectors correspond to the same physical state? An experimental test

Daniel Nigg, Thomas Monz, Philipp Schindler, Esteban A. Martinez, Markus Hennrich, Rainer Blatt, Matthew F. Pusey, Terry Rudolph, Jonathan Barrett

Mathematics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A century after the development of quantum theory, the interpretation of a quantum state is still discussed. If a physicist claims to have produced a system with a particular quantum state vector, does this represent directly a physical property of the system, or is the state vector merely a summary of the physicist's information about the system? Assume that a state vector corresponds to a probability distribution over possible values of an unknown physical or 'ontic' state. Then, a recent no-go theorem shows that distinct state vectors with overlapping distributions lead to predictions different from quantum theory. We report an experimental test of these predictions using trapped ions. Within experimental error, the results confirm quantum theory. We analyse which kinds of models are ruled out.

Original language	English
Article number	013007
Number of pages	10
Journal	New Journal of Physics
Volume	18
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007
Publication status	Published - 23 Dec 2015

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007Licence: CC BY

Nigg_2016_New_J._Phys._18_013007
© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.
Final published version, 1.02 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{5650dbd5b9ce42679729882d447c7aa9,

title = "Can different quantum state vectors correspond to the same physical state? An experimental test",

abstract = "A century after the development of quantum theory, the interpretation of a quantum state is still discussed. If a physicist claims to have produced a system with a particular quantum state vector, does this represent directly a physical property of the system, or is the state vector merely a summary of the physicist's information about the system? Assume that a state vector corresponds to a probability distribution over possible values of an unknown physical or 'ontic' state. Then, a recent no-go theorem shows that distinct state vectors with overlapping distributions lead to predictions different from quantum theory. We report an experimental test of these predictions using trapped ions. Within experimental error, the results confirm quantum theory. We analyse which kinds of models are ruled out.",

author = "Daniel Nigg and Thomas Monz and Philipp Schindler and Martinez, {Esteban A.} and Markus Hennrich and Rainer Blatt and Pusey, {Matthew F.} and Terry Rudolph and Jonathan Barrett",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.",

year = "2015",

month = dec,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

journal = "New Journal of Physics",

issn = "1367-2630",

publisher = "IOP Publishing",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Can different quantum state vectors correspond to the same physical state? An experimental test

AU - Nigg, Daniel

AU - Monz, Thomas

AU - Schindler, Philipp

AU - Martinez, Esteban A.

AU - Hennrich, Markus

AU - Blatt, Rainer

AU - Pusey, Matthew F.

AU - Rudolph, Terry

AU - Barrett, Jonathan

PY - 2015/12/23

Y1 - 2015/12/23

N2 - A century after the development of quantum theory, the interpretation of a quantum state is still discussed. If a physicist claims to have produced a system with a particular quantum state vector, does this represent directly a physical property of the system, or is the state vector merely a summary of the physicist's information about the system? Assume that a state vector corresponds to a probability distribution over possible values of an unknown physical or 'ontic' state. Then, a recent no-go theorem shows that distinct state vectors with overlapping distributions lead to predictions different from quantum theory. We report an experimental test of these predictions using trapped ions. Within experimental error, the results confirm quantum theory. We analyse which kinds of models are ruled out.

AB - A century after the development of quantum theory, the interpretation of a quantum state is still discussed. If a physicist claims to have produced a system with a particular quantum state vector, does this represent directly a physical property of the system, or is the state vector merely a summary of the physicist's information about the system? Assume that a state vector corresponds to a probability distribution over possible values of an unknown physical or 'ontic' state. Then, a recent no-go theorem shows that distinct state vectors with overlapping distributions lead to predictions different from quantum theory. We report an experimental test of these predictions using trapped ions. Within experimental error, the results confirm quantum theory. We analyse which kinds of models are ruled out.

U2 - 10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007

DO - 10.1088/1367-2630/18/1/013007

M3 - Article

SN - 1367-2630

VL - 18

JO - New Journal of Physics

JF - New Journal of Physics

IS - 1

M1 - 013007

ER -