Are Bell's conditions for local realism general enough?

TL;DR

The paper questions the generality of Bell's local-realism conditions by highlighting the role of finite-time detector dynamics in optical experiments and identifying a coincidence-time loophole. It argues that standard LHV formalisms may be insufficient to capture realistic detection processes, and demonstrates a classical local model that can violate the CH inequality when time-window effects are included. The main result shows CH violations are possible in a local realist model under a time-coincidence framework, challenging the notion that Bell-inequality violations definitively refute local realism. The work emphasizes the need for careful modeling of detection and coincidence selection in Bell tests to avoid pseudo-violations arising from timing and detector dynamics.

Abstract

Bell conditions for local realism are critically revisited. In particular for optical experiments I criticize Bell's proposed response of detectors to signals as extremely idealized. More physical conditions are proposed, whence a realistic local model of an optical experiment is possible which violates the Clauser-Horne (Bell) inequality. The possibility rests on the existence of a coincidence-time loophole in the experiments.