Rudolf Loidl

Violation of a Bell-like inequality in single-neutron interferometry.

Non-local correlations between spatially separated systems have been extensively discussed in the context of the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) paradox and Bells inequalities. Many proposals and experiments designed to test hidden variable theories and the violation of Bells inequalities have been reported; usually, these involve correlated photons, although recently an experiment was performed with 9Be+ ions. Nevertheless, it is of considerable interest to show that such correlations (arising from quantum mechanical entanglement) are not simply a peculiarity of photons. Here we measure correlations between two degrees of freedom (comprising spatial and spin components) of single neutrons; this removes the need for a source of entangled neutron pairs, which would present a considerable technical challenge. A Bell-like inequality is introduced to clarify the correlations that can arise between observables of otherwise independent degrees of freedom. We demonstrate the violation of this Bell-like inequality: our measured value is 2.051 ± 0.019, clearly above the value of 2 predicted by classical hidden variable theories.

First phase-contrast tomography with thermal neutrons

Attenuation-contrast tomography with monochro-matic thermal neutrons becomes a standard tool at many places in the world. A new tomographic neutron technique-the inter-ferometric imaging or neutron phase-contrast tomography (nPCT)-is introduced. nPCT is similar to x-ray phase-contrast tomography (xPCT) and offers a complete three-dimensional (3-D) investigation of the attenuation, the small angle scattering, and the phase-shifting properties of isotope distributions in the sample. As a first demonstration of the feasibility of nPCT, an aluminum screw has been imaged in an aluminum block of slightly different composition. A spatial resolution of 100 /spl mu/m has been achieved and the high sensitivity of phase-contrast measurements with thermal neutrons was verified.

Noncyclic geometric phase due to spatial evolution in a neutron interferometer

We present a split-beam neutron interferometric experiment to test the noncyclic geometric phase tied to the spatial evolution of the system: The subjacent two-dimensional Hilbert space is spanned by the two possible paths in the interferometer, and the evolution of the state is controlled by phase shifters and absorbers. A related experiment was reported previously by Hasegawa et al. [Phys Rev A 53, 2486 (1996)] to verify the cyclic spatial geometric phase. The interpretation of this experiment, namely to ascribe a geometric phase to this particular state evolution, has met with severe criticism from Wagh [Phys. Rev A 59, 1715 (1999)]. The extension to a noncyclic evolution manifests the correctness of the interpretation of the previous experiment by means of an explicit calculation of the noncyclic geometric phase in terms of paths on the Bloch-sphere.

Measurement of a confinement induced neutron phase.

Particle physicists see neutrons as tiny massive particles with a confinement radius of about 0.7 fm and a distinct internal quark–gluon structure. In quantum mechanics, neutrons are described by wave packets whose spatial extent may become ten orders of magnitude larger than the confinement radius, and can even reach macroscopic dimensions, depending on the degree of monochromaticity. For neutrons passing through narrow slits, it has been predicted that quantization of the transverse momentum component changes the longitudinal momentum component, resulting in a phase shift that should be measurable using interferometric methods. Here we use neutron interferometry to measure the phase shift arising from lateral confinement of a neutron beam passing through a narrow slit system. The phase shift arises mainly from neutrons whose classical trajectories do not touch the walls of the slits. In this respect, the non-locality of quantum physics is apparent.

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering studies of artificial lattices

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) with the use of perfect silicon crystals provides a resolution of the order of 10-5 A-1 in reciprocal space, which corresponds to rad in scattering angles and m structures in real space. From small-angle scattering by artificial lattices follows a unique test procedure for the related devices and techniques. Corresponding measurements were performed at the USANS facilities of the Atominstitut in Vienna and of the S18 instrument at the ILL. We observed diffraction patterns from samples being periodically structured in one and two dimensions. These measurements take advantage of the extended coherence function of the set-up and the high quality of the manufactured silicon sample lattices. Due to these characteristics up to 50 interference orders were obtained at the S18 instrument. Scattering from two-dimensional periodic structures was observed for different orientations of the sample which shows characteristic diffraction maps in reciprocal space.

Coherent energy manipulation in single-neutron interferometry

We have observed the stationary interference oscillations of a triple-entangled neutron state in an interferometric experiment. Time-dependent interaction with two radio-frequency (rf) fields enables coherent manipulation of an energy degree of freedom in a single neutron. The system is characterized by a multiply entangled state governed by a Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian. The experimental results confirm coherence of the manipulation as well as the validity of the description.

Geometric phase in entangled systems: A single-neutron interferometer experiment

The influence of the geometric phase on a Bell measurement, as proposed by Bertlmann et al. [Phys. Rev. A 69, 032112 (2004)] and expressed by the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality, has been observed for a spin-path-entangled neutron state in an interferometric setup. It is experimentally demonstrated that the effect of geometric phase can be balanced by a change in Bell angles. The geometric phase is acquired during a time-dependent interaction with a radiofrequency field. Two schemes, polar and azimuthal adjustment of the Bell angles, are realized and analyzed in detail. The former scheme yields a sinusoidal oscillation of the correlation function S, dependent on the geometric phase, such that it varies in the range between 2 and 2{radical}(2) and therefore always exceeds the boundary value 2 between quantum mechanic and noncontextual theories. The latter scheme results in a constant, maximal violation of the Bell-like CHSH inequality, where S remains 2{radical}(2) for all settings of the geometric phase.

Dynamical scaling and isotope effect in temporal evolution of mesoscopic structure during hydration of cement

The evolution of mesoscopic structure for cement-water mixtures turning into colloidal gels remains far from being understood. Recent neutron scattering investigations (Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 255704 (2004); Phys. Rev. B. 72, 224208 (2005); Phys. Rev. B. 82, 064203 (2010)),, reveal the role of hydrogen bond in temporal evolution of the mesoscopic structure during hydration of cement which is the most consumed synthetic material. The present neutron scattering investigation on hydration of cement with a mixture of light and heavy water points to incomprehensibility of the temporal evolution of the mesoscopic structure in terms of earlier observations on hydration with pure light or heavy water. Unlike in the case of hydration with light water, disagreement has been observed with the hypothesis of dynamical scaling for hydration of cement with a mixture of the two types of water. The dynamics of evolution of the mesoscopic structure has been observed to be nonlinear in regard to the composition of hydration medium.

Cavitation Behaviors in a Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal Subjected to Superplastic Deformations Measured by SANS Method

3Y-TZP specimens were pulled at temperatures ranging from 1623 to 1723 K with strain rates ranging from 3.3×10 to 6.7×10 s to various nominal strains. Characterization of cavities was conducted for gauge section of deformed specimens by SANS method and conventional ones including density measurement method and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The volume fraction of cavities and the evolution of cavity shapes were evaluated from the SANS results as a function of nominal strain for deformations carried out under the same superplastic condition. These behaviors were also discussed with the change in deformation condition. It is found that the SANS method is the most excellent technique for cavity characterization: the SANS method can measure the characteristics of cavities with better statistics and can measure flat cavities or fine defects which are quite difficult to identify by the conventional methods.

Violation of a Bell-like inequality in?neutron optical experiments: quantum?contextuality

We report on a single-neutron optical experiment to demonstrate the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Entanglement is achieved not between particles, but between the degrees of freedom; in this case, for a single particle. The spin-1/2 property of neutrons is utilized. The total wavefunction of the neutron is described in a tensor product Hilbert space. A Bell-like inequality is derived not via a non-locality but via a contextuality. Joint measurements of the spinor and the path properties lead to the violation of a Bell-like inequality. Manipulation of the wavefunction in one Hilbert space influences the result of the measurement in the other Hilbert space. A discussion is given on the quantum contextuality and an entanglement-induced correlation in our experiment.