Correlated observables in single-particle systems and field theoretic interpretations

Abstract

Bell-type experiments that test correlated observables typically involve measurements of spin or polarization on multi-particle systems in singlet states. These observables are all non-commuting and satisfy an uncertainty relation. Theoretically, the non-commuting nature should be independent of whether the singlet state consists of multiple particles or a single particle. Recent experiments in single neutron interferometry have in fact demonstrated this. In addition, if Bell-type inequalities can be found for experiments involving spin and polarization, the same should be true for experiments involving other non-commuting observables such as position and momentum as in the original EPR paper. As such, an experiment is proposed to measure (quantum mechanically) position and momentum for a single oscillator as a means for deriving a Bell-type inequality for these correlated observables. The experiment, if realizable, would shed light on the basic nature of matter, perhaps pointing to some form of self-entanglement, and would also help to further elucidate a possible mechanism behind the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Violation of these inequalities would, in fact, offer yet another confirmation of the principle.