A first experimental test of de Broglie-Bohm theory against standard quantum mechanics

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental test comparing de Broglie-Bohm theory and standard quantum mechanics using a double slit experiment with correlated photons, confirming quantum mechanics predictions and challenging de Broglie-Bohm theory.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental realization of a test distinguishing de Broglie-Bohm theory from quantum mechanics using correlated photons.

Findings

Results confirm quantum mechanics predictions.

De Broglie-Bohm theory predictions are contradicted.

First experimental test of its kind.

Abstract

De Broglie - Bohm (dBB) theory is a deterministic theory, built for reproducing almost all Quantum Mechanics (QM) predictions, where position plays the role of a hidden variable. It was recently shown that different coincidence patterns are predicted by QM and dBB when a double slit experiment is realised under specific conditions and, therefore, an experiment can test the two theories. In this letter we present the first realisation of such a double slit experiment by using correlated photons produced in type I Parametric Down Conversion. Our results confirm QM contradicting dBB predictions.