Physics Nobel prize 2022 | Quantum entanglement

 Congratulations to the scientists who won the 2022 Nobel Prize for the experimental explanation and interpretation of quantum entanglement, the famous and well-known fundamental phenomenon of quantum mechanics. Accordingly, without going into the technical complexity, I introduce this phenomenon at length.

What is Quantum Entanglement? | History | background work

Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in which two particles from a source are connected to each other in such a way that the relationship between them is maintained even at a long distance. For example, the conversion of a pi meson into two photons. Interestingly, when one of the two particles measure a property such as momentum, the momentum information of the other particle is also obtained at the same time. In the above example, since in the initial state the pi particle has zero momentum, the sum of the momentum of the photon produced by it must also be zero. Thus suppose when we measure the momentum of a photon, its value is -1. Now at the same time the second photon's momentum value is measured to be +1. So the momentum of the system is conserved. Now the question is that under what principle do the particles of the final state conserve their momentum through mutual interaction despite being at such a great distance. Similarly, the sudden interaction of entangled particles with each other at an infinite distance seems to be a violation of Einstein's theory of relativity. According to which no information can be sent from one place to another place at a speed greater than the speed of light. However, after numerous evidences and successful application of this phenomenon, the Nobel Prize of 2022 has been given for the experimental explanation and research of this phenomenon. The paper published in 1935 by three physicists Einstein, Podolsky and Reason has the key. On the basis of the same paper, he said about quantum mechanics that it is not a complete article in its origin. Various theories have been proposed to explain this process. In this regard, Einstein and others proposed the theory of hidden variables, according to which the entangled particles interact with each other through these variables. But Neil Bohr and other famous physicists did not agree with him. To further explain this theory, Bell conducted a famous and well-known imaginary experiment in 1964, which he named Bell Inequality. On this basis, the theory of hidden variables was rejected. Innumerable experiments and concepts have been presented about this and yet no physical focus has been clearly presented except through experiments like Bell Inequality. But the numerous evidences in favor of this phenomenon and its increasing application in basic science is a clear proof that entanglement is a reality, although apparently the human mind is unable to understand it clearly. With the use of this phenomenon, hundreds of windows of modern technology including quantum computers, quantum information, quantum communication, quantum cryptography are being opened. This also makes it clear that research on seemingly illogical ideas and concepts in basic science proves to be a precursor to revolution in science and technology. Although it is a very patient and long journey of research and promotion of knowledge, but its fruits are eaten by the entire human race for centuries and this is the beauty and success of science which distinguishes it from other fields. This is especially true for physics, which helps us to get accurate information about everything from an atom to distant unseen galaxies, and this information opens up new avenues of knowledge and technology.

Physics Nobel prize winners 2022:

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger “for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science.”

Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger have each conducted groundbreaking experiments using entangled quantum states, where two particles behave like a single unit even when they are separated. Their results have cleared the way for new technology based upon quantum information.

The ineffable effects of quantum mechanics are starting to find applications. There is now a large field of research that includes quantum computers, quantum networks and secure quantum encrypted communication.

One key factor in this development is how quantum mechanics allows two or more particles to exist in what is called an entangled state. What happens to one of the particles in an entangled pair determines what happens to the other particle, even if they are far apart.

For a long time, the question was whether the correlation was because the particles in an entangled pair contained hidden variables, instructions that tell them which result they should give in an experiment. In the 1960s, John Stewart Bell developed the mathematical inequality that is named after him. This states that if there are hidden variables, the correlation between the results of a large number of measurements will never exceed a certain value. However, quantum mechanics predicts that a certain type of experiment will violate Bell’s inequality, thus resulting in a stronger correlation than would otherwise be possible.

John Clauser developed John Bell’s ideas, leading to a practical experiment. When he took the measurements, they supported quantum mechanics by clearly violating a Bell inequality. This means that quantum mechanics cannot be replaced by a theory that uses hidden variables.

Some loopholes remained after John Clauser’s experiment. Alain Aspect developed the setup, using it in a way that closed an important loophole. He was able to switch the measurement settings after an entangled pair had left its source, so the setting that existed when they were emitted could not affect the result.

Using refined tools and long series of experiments, Anton Zeilinger started to use entangled quantum states. Among other things, his research group has demonstrated a phenomenon called quantum teleportation, which makes it possible to move a quantum state from one particle to one at a distance.

“It has become increasingly clear that a new kind of quantum technology is emerging. We can see that the laureates’ work with entangled states is of great importance, even beyond the fundamental questions about the interpretation of quantum mechanics,” says Anders Irbäck, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

 Physics Nobel prize 2022