Testing quantum statistics with particles in distinguishable states

Abstract

In this paper, we describe how it is possible to verify the quantum statistics of identical particles prepared in distinguishable internal states without ever bringing these particles to the same internal state. Examples are given for two, three and four identical particles prepared in two, three or four distinct states, respectively. We show that the identical nature of the particles can be probed through entanglement and their specific statistics can be probed by discriminating between types of entangled states.