Possible entanglement detection with the naked eye

Nicolas Brunner, Cyril Branciard, and Nicolas Gisin
Phys. Rev. A 78, 052110 – Published 12 November 2008

Abstract

The human eye can detect optical signals containing only a few photons. We investigate the possibility to demonstrate entanglement with such biological detectors. While one person could not detect entanglement by simply observing photons, we discuss the possibility for several observers to demonstrate entanglement in a Bell-type experiment, in which standard detectors are replaced by human eyes. Using a toy model for biological detectors that captures their main characteristic, namely, a detection threshold, we show that Bell inequalities can be violated, thus demonstrating entanglement. Remarkably, when the response function of the detector is close to a step function, quantum nonlocality can be demonstrated without any further assumptions. For smoother response functions, as for the human eye, postselection is required.

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  • Received 6 February 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.78.052110

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Nicolas Brunner*, Cyril Branciard, and Nicolas Gisin

  • Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

  • *n.brunner@bristol.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 78, Iss. 5 — November 2008

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