Simplest Kochen-Specker Set

Kochen-Specker (KS) sets are fundamental in physics. Every time nature produces bipartite correlations attaining the nonsignaling limit, or two parties always win a nonlocal game impossible to always win classically, it is because the parties are measuring a KS set. The simplest quantum system in which all these phenomena occur is a pair of three-level systems. However, the simplest KS sets known in dimension three are asymmetrical and require a large number of bases (the current minimum is 16, set by Peres and Penrose). Here, we present a KS set that is much more symmetrical and easier to prove than any previous example. It sets a new record for minimum number of bases, 14, and enables us to refute Conjecture 2 in Cabello Simplest bipartite perfect quantum strategies, Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 010201 (2025)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.134.010201, setting a new record for qutrit-qutrit perfect strategies with a minimum number of inputs: 5-9. We establish the fundamental nature of this set in quantum theory.

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Publication Details

Journal
Physical Review Letters
Published
2025-11-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/fx9d-488z
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.25
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article

Simplest Kochen-Specker Set

Adán Cabello
4 citations
Physical Review Letters
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
1.25
article

Simplest Kochen-Specker Set

Adán Cabello
article en
4 citations

Abstract

Kochen-Specker (KS) sets are fundamental in physics. Every time nature produces bipartite correlations attaining the nonsignaling limit, or two parties always win a nonlocal game impossible to always win classically, it is because the parties are measuring a KS set. The simplest quantum system in which all these phenomena occur is a pair of three-level systems. However, the simplest KS sets known in dimension three are asymmetrical and require a large number of bases (the current minimum is 16, set by Peres and Penrose). Here, we present a KS set that is much more symmetrical and easier to prove than any previous example. It sets a new record for minimum number of bases, 14, and enables us to refute Conjecture 2 in Cabello Simplest bipartite perfect quantum strategies, Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 010201 (2025)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.134.010201, setting a new record for qutrit-qutrit perfect strategies with a minimum number of inputs: 5-9. We establish the fundamental nature of this set in quantum theory.

Physical Review LettersVol. 135(19)
Universidad de Sevilla (ES)
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 25%
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
1.25
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Simplest Kochen-Specker Set — Adán Cabello · Physical Review Letters (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS