English

Contextuality, Coherences, and Quantum Cheshire Cats

Quantum Physics 2024-02-16 v2 History and Philosophy of Physics

Abstract

We analyse the quantum Cheshire cat using contextuality theory, to see if this can tell us anything about how best to interpret this paradox. We show that this scenario can be analysed using the relation between three different measurements, which seem to result in a logical contradiction. We discuss how this contextual behaviour links to weak values, and coherences between prohibited states. Rather than showing a property of the particle is disembodied, the quantum Cheshire cat instead demonstrates the effects of these coherences, which are typically found in pre- and postselected systems.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2307.06583,
  title  = {Contextuality, Coherences, and Quantum Cheshire Cats},
  author = {Jonte R. Hance and Ming Ji and Holger F. Hofmann},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2307.06583},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

11 pages, 3 figures. Accepted in New J. Phys., matches accepted version

R2 v1 2026-06-28T11:29:08.619Z