{
  "id": "quant-ph/0104035",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2001-04-08T02:23:12.000Z",
  "updated": "2001-04-08T02:23:12.000Z",
  "title": "Observation of the Quantum Zeno and Anti-Zeno effects in an unstable system",
  "authors": [
    "M. C. Fischer",
    "B. Gutierrez-Medina",
    "M. G. Raizen"
  ],
  "comment": "4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRL",
  "doi": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.040402",
  "categories": [
    "quant-ph"
  ],
  "abstract": "We report the first observation of the Quantum Zeno and Anti-Zeno effects in an unstable system. Cold sodium atoms are trapped in a far-detuned standing wave of light that is accelerated for a controlled duration. For a large acceleration the atoms can escape the trapping potential via tunneling. Initially the number of trapped atoms shows strong non-exponential decay features, evolving into the characteristic exponential decay behavior. We repeatedly measure the number of atoms remaining trapped during the initial period of non-exponential decay. Depending on the frequency of measurements we observe a decay that is suppressed or enhanced as compared to the unperturbed system.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2001-04-08T02:23:12.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "anti-zeno effects",
      "quantum zeno",
      "unstable system",
      "observation",
      "characteristic exponential decay behavior"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "publisher": "APS",
      "journal": "Phys. Rev. Lett."
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 4,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}