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    Experimental characterization of the hierarchy of quantum correlations in top quark pairs

    Yoav Afik1,*, Regina Demina2,†, Alan Herrera2,‡, Otto Heinz Hindrichs2,§, Juan Ramón Muñoz de Nova3,4,∥, and Baptiste Ravina5,¶

    • *Contact author: yoavafik@gmail.com
    • †Contact author: regina@pas.rochester.edu
    • ‡Contact author: alan.herrera@cern.ch
    • §Contact author: otto.heinz.hindrichs@cern.ch
    • ∥Contact author: jr.denova@csic.es
    • Contact author: baptiste.ravina@cern.ch

    Phys. Rev. D 113, 096015 – Published 22 May, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/qqvz-87d2

    Abstract

    Recent results from the Large Hadron Collider have demonstrated quantum entanglement of top quark–antiquark pairs using the spin degrees of freedom. Based on the doubly differential measurement of the spin density matrix of the top quark and antiquark performed by the CMS collaboration in the helicity and beam bases, we evaluate a set of quantum observables, including discord, steerability, Bell correlation, and magic. These observables allow for a quantitative characterization of the quantum correlations present in a top quark–antiquark system, thus enabling an interpretation of collider data in terms of quantum states and their properties. Discord is observed to be greater than zero with a significance of more than 5 standard deviations (σ) in several regions of phase space, some of which correspond to separable quantum states. Evidence for steerability is established for the first time in a high-energy system, with a significance of more than 3σ. No Bell correlation is observed within the currently probed phase space, in agreement with the theoretical prediction. These results experimentally corroborate the hierarchy of quantum correlations in top quarks with discord being the most basic form of quantum correlation, followed by entanglement, steerability, and Bell correlation. The significance of nonzero magic, which is a complementary observable to the quantum correlation hierarchy, is found to exceed 5σ in several regions of phase space.

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