Compatibility and noncontextuality for sequential measurements

O. Gühne, M. Kleinmann, A. Cabello, J. -A. Larsson, G. Kirchmair, F. Zähringer, R. Gerritsma, C. F. Roos

Published 2009-12-24, updated 2010-01-04Version 2

A basic assumption behind the inequalities used for testing noncontextual hidden variable models is that the observables measured on the same individual system are perfectly compatible. However, compatibility is not perfect in actual experiments using sequential measurements. We discuss the resulting "compatibility loophole" and present several methods to rule out certain hidden variable models which obey a kind of extended noncontextuality. Finally, we present a detailed analysis of experimental imperfections in a recent trapped ion experiment and apply our analysis to that case.