Bell Non-Locality in Macroscopic Systems

Abstract: The categorization of quantum states for composite systems as either separable or entangled, or alternatively as Bell local or Bell non-local states based on local hidden variable theory is reviewed in Sections 1 and 2, focusing on simple bipartite systems. The significance of states demonstrating Bell non-locality for settling the long standing controversy between the Copenhagen interpretation of the quantum measurement process involving the collapse of the wave-function and the alternative interpretation based on pre-existing hidden variables is emphasized. Although experiments demonstrating violations of Bell locality in microscopic systems have now been carried out (see Section 3), there is current interest in finding Bell non-locality in quantum systems on a macroscopic scale, since this is a regime where a classical hidden variable theory might still apply. Progress towards finding macroscopic quantum states that violate Bell inequalities is reviewed in Section 4. A new test for Bell non-locality that applies when the sub-system measured quantities are spin components with large outcomes is described, and applied to four mode systems of identical massive bosons in Bose-Einstein condensates.