Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Interaction-Free Effects Between Distant Atoms, Yakir Aharonov, Eliahu Cohen, Avshalom C. Elitzur, Lee Smolin

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

A Gedanken experiment is presented where an excited and a ground-state atom are positioned such that, within the former’s half-life time, they exchange a photonwith 50% probability.Ameasurement of their energy statewill therefore indicate in 50% of the cases that no photon was exchanged. Yet other measurements would reveal that, by the mere possibility of exchange, the two atoms have become entangled. Consequently, the “no exchange” result, apparently precluding entanglement, is non-locally established between the atoms by this very entanglement. This quantum-mechanical version of the ancient Liar Paradox can be realized with already existing transmission schemes, with the addition of Bell’s …