Novel States of Classical Light and Noncontextuality

TL;DR

This paper introduces a noncontextuality-based criterion to distinguish between separable and nonseparable classical light states, proposing an experiment to test their noncontextuality violation and exploring their properties.

Contribution

It presents a novel noncontextuality criterion for classical wave optics and proposes an experimental test for nonseparable states, expanding understanding of classical entanglement.

Findings

Nonseparable classical states can violate noncontextuality.

Proposed experiment to test noncontextuality violation.

Discussion of similarities and differences with quantum entanglement.

Abstract

A new criterion, based on noncontextuality, is derived to discriminate between separable and nonseparable states in classical wave optics where no discreteness is involved. An experiment is proposed to test the violation of noncontextuality by a nonseparable state. Such states have only recently begun to be explored. The significance of their nonseparability or entanglement as well as their similarities with and differences from entangled quantum states are discussed.