MULTIPARTICLE AND HIGHER-SPIN TESTS OF QUANTUM-MECHANICS USING PARAMETRIC DOWN-CONVERSION

We show that various experimental configurations using correlated phot on-number states are predicted to violate many forms of Bell's inequal ity. This test is potentially one of macroscopic quantum mechanics in that violations are predicted for situations where large numbers of ph otons are detected at a single detector at a time. The configurations also allow higher-spin tests of quantum mechanics. We indicate how the Violations of Bell inequalities might be achieved with both parametri c amplification and parametric oscillation. The effect of photodetecti on inefficiencies is analyzed. In order to investigate the potential f or Bell-inequality tests in the high-intensity regime of recent experi ments where detection efficiencies may be very high, we introduce a si mple model for the effect of electronic noise that introduces a poor r esolution of the photon number detected.