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A relaxationless demonstration of the Quantum Zeno Paradox on an individual atom

Quantum Physics 2009-11-10 v1

Abstract

The driven evolution of the spin of an individual atomic ion on the ground-state hyperfine resonance is impeded by the observation of the ion in one of the pertaining eigenstates. Detection of resonantly scattered light identifies the ion in its upper ``bright'' state. The lower ``dark'' ion state is free of relaxation and correlated with the detector by a null signal. Null events represent the straightforward demonstration of the quantum Zeno paradox. Also, high probability of survival was demonstrated when the ion, driven by a fractionated π\pi pulse, was probed {\em and monitored} during the intermissions of the drive, such that the ion's evolution is completely documented.

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Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0406027,
  title  = {A relaxationless demonstration of the Quantum Zeno Paradox on an individual atom},
  author = {Chr. Balzer and Th. Hannemann and D. Reiß and Chr. Wunderlich and W. Neuhauser and P. E. Toschek},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0406027},
  year   = {2009}
}

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7 pages