Testing the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality using observables with arbitrary spectrum

Abstract

The Clauser-Horne-Shimony and Holt inequality applies when measurements with binary outcomes are performed on physical systems under the assumption of local realism. Testing such inequalities in the quantum realm usually involves either measurements of two--valued quantum observables or pre-defining a context dependent binning procedure. Here we establish the conditions to test the Clauser-Horne-Shimony and Holt inequality using any quantum observable. Our result applies to observables with an arbitrary spectrum and no prior knowledge of their underlying Hilbert space's dimension is required. Finally, we demonstrate the proposed general measurement strategy, that can be seen as positive operator valued measurements performed on the system, using the formalism of modular variables applied to the transverse degrees of freedom of single photons.