Noncontextual Hidden Variable Models Research Articles

Three noncontextual hidden variable models for the Peres-Mermin square

I will argue that the Peres-Mermin square does not necessarily rule out a value-definite (deterministic) noncontextual hidden variable model if the operators are not given a physical interpretation satisfying the following two requirements: (i) each operator is uniquely realized by a single physical measurement; (ii) commuting operators are realized by simultaneous measurements. To underpin this claim, I will construct three hidden variable models for three different physical realizations of the Peres-Mermin square: one violating (i), another violating (ii), and a third one violating both (i) and (ii).

Experimental entropic test of state-independent contextuality via single photons

Recently, an inequality satisfied by non-contextual hidden-variable models and violated by quantum mechanics for all states of a four-level system has been derived based on information-theoretic distance approach to non-classical correlations. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate violation of this inequality with single photons. Our experiment offers a method to study a distinction between quantum and classical correlations from an information-theoretic perspective.

State-injection schemes of quantum computation in Spekkens' toy theory

Spekkens' toy theory is a non-contextual hidden variable model with an epistemic restriction, a constraint on what the observer can know about the reality. It has been shown in [3] that for qudits of odd dimensions it is operationally equivalent to stabiliser quantum mechanics by making use of Gross' theory of discrete Wigner functions. This result does not hold in the case of qubits, because of the unavoidable negativity of any Wigner function representation of qubit stabiliser quantum mechanics. In this work we define and characterise the subtheories of Spekkens' theory that are operationally equivalent to subtheories of stabiliser quantum mechanics. We use these Spekkens' subtheories as a unifying framework for the known examples of state-injection schemes where contextuality is an injected resource to reach universal quantum computation. In addition, we prove that, in the case of qubits, stabiliser quantum mechanics can be reduced to a Spekkens' subtheory in the sense that all its objects that do not belong to the Spekkens' subtheory, namely non-covariant Clifford gates, can be injected. This shows that within Spekkens' subtheories we possess the toolbox to perform state-injection of every object outside of them and it suggests that there is no need to use bigger subtheories to reach universal quantum computation via state-injection. We conclude with a novel scheme of computation suggested by our approach which is based on the injection of CCZ states and we also relate different proofs of contextuality to different state injections of non-covariant gates.

Experimental test of quantum correlations from Platonic graphs

Great effort has been made in the investigation of contextual correlations between compatible observables due to their both fundamental and practical importance. The graph-theoretic approach to correlate events has been proved to be an effective method in the characterization of quantum contextuality, which implies that quantum violations of noncontextual inequalities derived in the noncontextual hidden-variable models should be achievable. Finding experimentally more friendly and theoretically more powerful noncontextual inequalities associated with specific graphs is of particular interest. Here we consider Platonic graphs to vindicate the quantum maximum predicted by graph theory and test the quantum violation against the mixedness of the state. Among these solids we refer particularly to the icosahedron to build the experiment, as it gives rise to the largest quantum-classical difference. The contextual correlations are demonstrated on quantum four-dimensional states encoded in the spatial modes of single photons generated from a defect in a bulk silicon carbide. Our results shed new light on the conflict between quantum and classical physics and may promote deep understanding of the connection between quantum theory, graph theory, and operator theory.

Spekkens’ toy model in all dimensions and its relationship with stabiliser quantum mechanics

Spekkens’ toy model is a non-contextual hidden variable model with an epistemic restriction, a constraint on what an observer can know about reality. The aim of the model, developed for continuous and discrete prime degrees of freedom, is to advocate the epistemic view of quantum theory, where quantum states are states of incomplete knowledge about a deeper underlying reality. Many aspects of quantum mechanics and protocols from quantum information can be reproduced in the model. In spite of its significance, a number of aspects of Spekkens’ model remained incomplete. Formal rules for the update of states after measurement had not been written down, and the theory had only been constructed for prime-dimensional and infinite dimensional systems. In this work, we remedy this, by deriving measurement update rules and extending the framework to derive models in all dimensions, both prime and non-prime. Stabiliser quantum mechanics (SQM) is a sub-theory of quantum mechanics with restricted states, transformations and measurements. First derived for the purpose of constructing error correcting codes, it now plays a role in many areas of quantum information theory. Previously, it had been shown that Spekkens’ model was operationally equivalent to SQM in the case of odd prime dimensions. Here, exploiting known results on Wigner functions, we extend this to show that Spekkens’ model is equivalent to SQM in all odd dimensions, prime and non-prime. This equivalence provides new technical tools for the study of technically difficult compound-dimensional SQM.

NMR investigation of contextuality in a quantum harmonic oscillator via pseudospin mapping

Physical potentials are routinely approximated to harmonic potentials. Hence it is important to know when a quantum harmonic oscillator (QHO) behaves quantum mechanically and when classically. Recently Su et al. (Phys. Rev. A, 85 (2012) 052126) have theoretically shown that QHO exhibits quantum contextuality (QC) for a certain set of pseudospin observables. Here we encode the four eigenstates of a QHO onto four Zeeman product states of a pair of spin-(1/2) nuclei. Using the techniques of NMR quantum information processing, we then demonstrate the violation of both state-dependent and state-independent inequalities arising from the noncontextual hidden variable model.

Demonstrating quantum contextuality of indistinguishable particles by a single family of noncontextuality inequalities.

Quantum theory has the intriguing feature that is inconsistent with noncontextual hidden variable models, for which the outcome of a measurement does not depend on which other compatible measurements are being performed concurrently. While various proofs of such contextual behavior of quantum systems have been established, relatively little is known concerning the possibility to demonstrate this intriguing feature for indistinguishable particles. Here, we show in a simple and systematic manner that with projective measurements alone, it is possible to demonstrate quantum contextuality for such systems of arbitrary Hilbert space dimensions, including those corresponding to a qubit. Our demonstration is applicable to a single fermion as well as multiple fermions, and thus also a composite boson formed from an even number of fermions. In addition, our approach gives a clear demonstration of the intimate connection between complementarity and contextuality, two seemingly unrelated aspects of quantum theory.

Coexistence of Kochen-Specker inequalities and noncontextuality inequalities

Two types of inequalities, Kochen-Specker inequalities and noncontextuality inequalities, are both used to demonstrate the incompatibility between the noncontextual hidden variable model and quantum mechanics. It has been thought that noncontextuality inequalities are much more potent than Kochen-Specker inequalities, since the latter are constrained by the Kochen-Specker rules, which are regarded as an extra constraint imposed on the noncontextual hidden variable model. However, we find that a noncontextuality inequality exists in a ray set if and only if a Kochen-Specker inequality exists in the same ray set. This provides an effect approach both for constructing noncontextuality inequalities in a Kochen-Specker set and for converting a Kochen-Specker inequality to a noncontextuality inequality in any ray set.

Experimental test of state-independent quantum contextuality of an indivisible quantum system

We report a state-independent experimental test of quantum contextuality of a single-photon qutrit. The experimental results demonstrate violations of an inequality originally formulated by Yu and Oh [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 030402 (2012)] and further optimized by Cabello et al. [Phys. Rev. A 85, 032108 (2012)]; this inequality is satisfied by all noncontextual hidden variable models and is violated by all qutrit states. Our experiment shows quantum contextuality of this nature in a most fundamental way: A way that is independent of state and unrelated to entanglement.

Conditional Measurement in Noncontextual Hidden-Variable Models

The noncontextual hidden-variable models in d = 2, such as the ones constructed by Bell and by Kochen and Specker, have difficulties in accounting for the conditional measurement of two non-orthogonal projectors. An idea of branching in the hidden-variable space, which provides a means to realize the notion of reduction effectively and describe the state preparation, is suggested as a way to resolve the difficulties associated with the conditional measurement.

Quantum discord and noncontextual hidden-variable models

It is shown that theoretically viable noncontextual hidden-variable models in $d=2$ lead to conflicting dispersion-free expressions in the analysis of the conditional measurement of two non-orthogonal projectors. No satisfactory criterion of the quantum discord, which relies on the analysis of conditional measurement, is formulated in the $d=2$ hidden-variable space due to a lack of uniqueness of the dispersion-free representation. We also make a speculative comment on a ``many-worlds interpretation'' of hidden-variable models to account for the conditional measurement.

Does Ignorance of the Whole Imply Ignorance of the Parts? Large Violations of Noncontextuality in Quantum Theory

A central question in our understanding of the physical world is how our knowledge of the whole relates to our knowledge of the individual parts. One aspect of this question is the following: to what extent does ignorance about a whole preclude knowledge of at least one of its parts? Relying purely on classical intuition, one would certainly be inclined to conjecture that a strong ignorance of the whole cannot come without significant ignorance of at least one of its parts. Indeed, we show that this reasoning holds in any noncontextual (NC) hidden-variable model (HV). Curiously, however, such a conjecture is false in quantum theory: we provide an explicit example where a large ignorance about the whole can coexist with an almost perfect knowledge of each of its parts. More specifically, we provide a simple information-theoretic inequality satisfied in any NC HV, but which can be arbitrarily violated by quantum mechanics.

Quantum contextuality for rational vectors

The Kochen–Specker theorem states that noncontextual hidden variable models are inconsistent with the quantum predictions for every yes–no question on a qutrit, corresponding to every projector in three dimensions. It has been suggested [D.A. Meyer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 (1999) 3751] that the inconsistency would disappear when restricting to projectors on unit vectors with rational components; that noncontextual hidden variables could reproduce the quantum predictions for rational vectors. Here we show that a qutrit state with rational components violates an inequality valid for noncontextual hidden-variable models [A.A. Klyachko et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101 (2008) 020403] using rational projectors. This shows that the inconsistency remains even when using only rational vectors.

Quantum contextuality in the Mermin-Peres square: A hidden-variable perspective

The question of a hidden variable interpretation of quantum contextuality in the Mermin-Peres square is considered. The Kochen-Specker theorem implies that quantum mechanics may be interpreted as a contextual hidden variable theory. It is shown that such a hidden variable description can be viewed as either contextual in the random variables mapping hidden states to observable outcomes or in the probability measure on the hidden state space. The latter view suggests that this apparent contextuality may be interpreted as a simple consequence of measurement disturbance, wherein the initial hidden state is altered through interaction with the measuring device, thereby giving rise to a possibly different final hidden variable state from which the measurement outcome is obtained. In light of this observation, a less restrictive and, arguably, more reasonable definition of noncontextuality is suggested. To prove that such a description is possible, an explicit and, in this sense, noncontextual hidden variable model is constructed which reproduces all quantum theoretic predictions for the Mermin-Peres square. A critical analysis of some recent and proposed experimental tests of contextuality is also provided. Although the discussion is restricted to a four-dimensional Hilbert space, the approach and conclusions are expected to generalize to any Hilbert space.

Non-contextuality, finite precision measurement and the Kochen–Specker theorem

Meyer originally raised the question of whether non-contextual hidden variable models can, despite the Kochen–Specker theorem, simulate the predictions of quantum mechanics to within any fixed finite experimental precision (Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 (1999) 3751). Meyer's result was extended by Kent (Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 (1999) 3755). Clifton and Kent later presented constructions of non-contextual hidden variable theories which, they argued, indeed simulate quantum mechanics in this way (Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. A 456 (2000) 2101). These arguments have evoked some controversy. Among other things, it has been suggested that the Clifton–Kent models do not in fact reproduce correctly the predictions of quantum mechanics, even when finite precision is taken into account. It has also been suggested that careful analysis of the notion of contextuality in the context of finite precision measurement motivates definitions which imply that the Clifton–Kent models are in fact contextual. Several critics have also argued that the issue can be definitively resolved by experimental tests of the Kochen–Specker theorem or experimental demonstrations of the contextuality of Nature. One aim of this paper is to respond to and rebut criticisms of the Meyer–Clifton–Kent papers. We thus elaborate in a little more detail how the Clifton–Kent models can reproduce the predictions of quantum mechanics to arbitrary precision. We analyse in more detail the relationship between classicality, finite precision measurement and contextuality, and defend the claims that the Clifton–Kent models are both essentially classical and non-contextual. We also examine in more detail the senses in which a theory can be said to be contextual or non-contextual, and in which an experiment can be said to provide evidence on the point. In particular, we criticise the suggestion that a decisive experimental verification of contextuality is possible, arguing that the idea rests on a conceptual confusion.

Simulating quantum mechanics by non-contextual hidden variables

No physical measurement can be performed with infinite precision. This leaves a loophole in the standard no-go arguments against non-contextual hidden variables. All such arguments rely on choosing special sets of quantum-mechanical observables with measurement outcomes that cannot be simulated non-contextually. As a consequence, these arguments do not exclude the hypothesis that the class of physical measurements in fact corresponds to a dense subset of all theoretically possible measurements with outcomes and quantum probabilities that \emph{can} be recovered from a non-contextual hidden variable model. We show here by explicit construction that there are indeed such non-contextual hidden variable models, both for projection valued and positive operator valued measurements.