Proposal for a loophole-free test of the Bell inequalities

Abstract

A proposal for an experimental realization of Bohm's spin-1/2 particle version of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen experiment is described. Two $^{199}\mathrm{Hg}$ atoms, each with nuclear spin 1/2, are produced in an entangled state with total nuclear spin zero. Such a state is obtained by dissociation of dimers of the $^{199}\mathrm{Hg}_{2}$ isotopomer using a spectroscopically selective stimulated Raman process. The measurement of nuclear spin correlations between the two atoms in this entangled state is achieved by detection of the atoms using a spin state selective two-photon excitation-ionization scheme. The experiment will not only close the detector efficiency loophole, but in addition will permit enforcement of the locality condition.