Contextuality tests in photonic integrated chips with imperfect compatibility
Phys. Rev. A 114, 053706 – Published 5 November, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/my8d-tdpk
Abstract
This paper discusses contextuality tests in three-level quantum systems implemented in photonic circuits, based on the hypothesis that the operators involved are, in some way, slightly incompatible with each other. For this, the definition of compatible operators and the inequalities representing contextuality tests in state-dependent and state-independent scenarios are presented. The implementation of such tests in a proposed integrated photonic circuit is shown, highlighting this platform's efficiency for experiments involving photon states due to its scalability, accuracy, robustness, and other important features. The relation between experimentally obtained photon counts and the average values to be determined for performing these proposed tests is also detailed. Finally, a theoretical analysis of the proposed circuit's robustness concerning photon-loss processes and possible imperfections arising from manufacturing processes is presented, showing how these losses and imperfections in the photonic circuit affect the reliability of the noncontextuality inequalities test.
