Emergent Bell-Triplet State in Proton-Proton Scattering

Abstract

Entanglement is a key resource in quantum information science, yet its properties and applications in nuclear systems remain largely unexplored. Here, using proton-proton scattering as a quantum laboratory, we report the emergence of a near-pure Bell-triplet state at a laboratory energy of 151 MeV and a center-of-mass scattering angle of 90 degrees. In this unique kinematic regime, the scattering amplitude functions as a transition operator connecting distinct Bell states. Building upon this emergent resource, we propose a quantum teleportation protocol for proton spins, exploiting the intrinsic Hamiltonian of the strong interaction to perform the requisite Bell measurement. These findings effectively bridge few-body nuclear physics and quantum technology, establishing proton-proton scattering as both a source of high-fidelity entanglement and a natural processor for quantum information.