On the interpretative essence of the term "interaction-free measurement": The role of entanglement

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the concept of 'interaction-free measurement' in quantum mechanics, highlighting the role of entanglement and challenging its consistency with standard interpretations and foundational debates.

Contribution

It provides a formal analysis of entanglement's role in IFM and clarifies misconceptions, questioning the term's interpretative validity.

Findings

IFM is inconsistent with standard quantum mechanics

Entanglement plays a crucial role in the interpretation of IFM

The term 'interaction-free measurement' is philosophically and scientifically problematic

Abstract

The polemical term "interaction-free measurement" (IFM) is analyzed in its interpretative nature. Two seminal works proposing the term are revisited and their underlying interpretations are assessed. The role played by nonlocal quantum correlations (entanglement) is formally discussed and some controversial conceptions in the original treatments are identified. As a result the term IFM is shown to be consistent neither with the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics nor with the lessons provided by the EPR debate.