English

Counterfactuality of "counterfactual" communication

Quantum Physics 2015-09-22 v3

Abstract

The counterfactuality of the recently proposed protocols for direct quantum communication is analyzed. It is argued that the protocols can be counterfactual only for one value of the transmitted bit. The protocols achieve a reduced probability of detection of the particle in the transmission channel by increasing the number of paths in the channel. However, this probability is not lower than the probability of detecting a particle actually passing through such a multi-path channel, which was found to be surprisingly small. The relation between security and counterfactuality of the protocols is discussed. An analysis of counterfactuality of the protocols in the framework of the Bohmian interpretation is performed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1410.2723,
  title  = {Counterfactuality of "counterfactual" communication},
  author = {Lev Vaidman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1410.2723},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

Critical analysis of arXiv:1206.2042 and Phys. Rev. A 89, 052334. Revised according to comments of several referees, accepted for publication in J. Phys. A