Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America

Demonstration of the quantum Zeno effect with laser-cooled ions

Wayne M. Itano, Daniel J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger, David J. Wineland

Published Jan 1, 1989• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Laser-cooled ions stored in Penning traps are essentially free from collisions and other perturbations that could cause relaxations. This, and the fact that their energy levels can easily be manipulated with rf and laser radiation, makes them well suited for demonstrating certain aspects of quantum measurement theory. The quantum Zeno effect is the inhibition of transitions between states by frequent measurements.1 We have observed this effect in a 9Be+ ground-state rf transition. The measurements are short pulses of light. If the ion is in one state, it scatters a few photons; if it is in the other, it scatters no photons. In the latter case the wavefunction collapse is due to a null measurement.2 The dynamics of this system are similar to those which are predicted to lead to nonexponential spontaneous decay at short times.

DOI
10.1364/oam.1989.thbb2

Related papers

Quantum Zeno effect

Wayne M. Itano, Daniel J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger +1 more

The quantum Zero effect is the inhibition of transitions between quantum states by frequent measurements of the state. The inhibition arises because the measurement causes a collapse (reduction) of the wave function. If the time between measurements is short enough, the wave function usually collapses back to the initial state. We have observed this effect in an rf transition between two $^{9}$${\mathrm{Be}}^{+}$ ground-state hyperfine levels. The ions were confined in a Penning trap and laser cooled. Short pulses of light, applied at the same time as the rf field, made the measurements. If an ion was in one state, it scattered a few photons; if it was in the other, it scattered no photons. In the latter case the wave-function collapse was due to a null measurement. Good agreement was found with calculations.

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1990•1,185 citations

Quantum Zeno effect and quantum Zeno paradox in atomic physics

Ellen Block, P. R. Berman

Itano and co-workers [Wayne M. Itano, D. J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger, and D. J. Wineland, Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)] have recently reported the experimental verification of the quantum Zeno effect, which is the inhibition of a quantum transition by frequent measurements. In this article, we offer an alternative interpretation of the quantum Zeno effect. We show that an analysis of the dynamics of the full three-level system gives the same result. There is no need to assume explicitly that the wave function has collapsed, nor even to assume that an ideal measurement has been made. In addition, we differentiate between what has been referred to as the quantum Zeno effect and what has been termed the quantum Zeno paradox. The former is the inhibition of induced transitions, and the latter is the, as yet experimentally unobserved, inhibition of spontaneous decay. Our interpretation, which emphasizes the ``measurement''-induced interruption of atomic-state coherences as the cause of inhibited quantum transitions, suggests a resolution to the quantum Zeno paradox. The theoretical limit of continuous observation is discussed.

Physical Review A•Aug 1, 1991•72 citations

Quantum Zeno Effect and Light-Dark Periods for a Single Atom

Almut Beige, Gerhard C. Hegerfeldt

The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) predicts a slow-down of the time development of a system under rapidly repeated ideal measurements, and experimentally this was tested for an ensemble of atoms using short laser pulses for non-selective state measurements. Here we consider such pulses for selective measurements on a single system. Each probe pulse will cause a burst of fluorescence or no fluorescence. If the probe pulses were strictly ideal measurements, the QZE would predict periods of fluorescence bursts alternating with periods of no fluorescence (light and dark periods) which would become longer and longer with increasing frequency of the measurements. The non-ideal character of the measurements is taken into account by incorporating the laser pulses in the interaction, and this is used to determine the corrections to the ideal case. In the limit, when the time between the laser pulses goes to zero, no freezing occurs but instead we show convergence to the familiar macroscopic light and dark periods of the continuously driven Dehmelt system. An experiment of this type should be feasible for a single atom or ion in a trap

•Jan 1, 1996•12 citations

Quantum Zeno effect and light - dark periods for a single atom

Almut Beige, Gerhard C. Hegerfeldt

The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) predicts a slow-down of the time development of a system under rapidly repeated ideal measurements, and experimentally this was tested for an ensemble of atoms using short laser pulses for non-selective state measurements. Here we consider such pulses for selective measurements on a single system. Each probe pulse will cause a burst of fluorescence or no fluorescence. If the probe pulses were strictly ideal measurements, the QZE would predict periods of fluorescence bursts alternating with periods of no fluorescence (light and dark periods) which would become longer and longer with increasing frequency of the measurements. The non-ideal character of the measurements is taken into account by incorporating the laser pulses in the interaction, and this is used to determine the corrections to the ideal case. In the limit, when the time, , between the laser pulses goes to zero, no freezing occurs but instead we show convergence to the familiar macroscopic light and dark periods of the continuously driven Dehmelt system. An experiment of this type should be feasible for a single atom or ion in a trap.

arXiv:quant-ph/9611020•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Feb 21, 1997•29 citations

Quantum effects in measurements on trapped ions

D. J. Wineland, Jonas Bergquist, J. J. Bollinger +1 more

Quantum mechanical effects which are manifested in measurements on trapped atomic ions are reviewed. Observation of these effects is facilitated by the long storage times of a fixed number of laser-cooled ions and by high detection sensitivities, primarily through the observation of scattered laser light. We discuss the observation of quantum jumps and the application of quantum jumps to measurement of atomic ion lifetimes and spectra, detection of antibunching of light, the quantum Zeno effect and quantum projection noise. Experiments which detect nonclassical features of fluorescent light from single or a few trapped ions are briefly reviewed. Finally, we discuss experiments which reveal quantum effects in the motion of trapped ions. We briefly describe possible future extensions for each of these topics.

Physica Scripta•Jan 1, 1995•8 citations

Demonstration of quantum anti-Zeno effect with a single trapped ion

Man-Chao Zhang, Wei Wu, Lin-Ze He +4 more

We experimentally demonstrate the quantum anti-Zeno effect in a two-level system based on a single trapped ion 40 Ca + . In the large detuning regime, we show that the transfer from the ground state to the excited state can be remarkably enhanced by the inserted projection measurements. The inserted measurements in our experiment are realized by the electron shelving technique. Compared to the ideal projection measurement, which makes the quantum state collapse instantaneously, a practical electron shelving process needs a finite time duration. The minimum time for this collapse process is shown to be inversely proportional to the square of the coupling strength between the measurement laser and the system.

Chinese Physics B•Sep 1, 2018•4 citations
Laser-cooled ions stored in Penning traps are essentially free from collisions and other perturbations that could cause relaxations. This, and the fact that their energy levels can easily be manipulated with rf and laser radiation, makes them well suited for demonstrating certain aspects of quantum measurement theory. The quantum Zeno effect is the inhibition of transitions between states by frequent measurements.1 We have observed this effect in a 9Be+ ground-state rf transition. The measurements are short pulses of light. If the ion is in one state, it scatters a few photons; if it is in the other, it scatters no photons. In the latter case the wavefunction collapse is due to a null measurement.2 The dynamics of this system are similar to those which are predicted to lead to nonexponential spontaneous decay at short times.
The quantum Zero effect is the inhibition of transitions between quantum states by frequent measurements of the state. The inhibition arises because the measurement causes a collapse (reduction) of the wave function. If the time between measurements is short enough, the wave function usually collapses back to the initial state. We have observed this effect in an rf transition between two 9^{9}9Be+{\mathrm{Be}}^{+}Be+ ground-state hyperfine levels. The ions were confined in a Penning trap and laser cooled. Short pulses of light, applied at the same time as the rf field, made the measurements. If an ion was in one state, it scattered a few photons; if it was in the other, it scattered no photons. In the latter case the wave-function collapse was due to a null measurement. Good agreement was found with calculations.
Itano and co-workers [Wayne M. Itano, D. J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger, and D. J. Wineland, Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)] have recently reported the experimental verification of the quantum Zeno effect, which is the inhibition of a quantum transition by frequent measurements. In this article, we offer an alternative interpretation of the quantum Zeno effect. We show that an analysis of the dynamics of the full three-level system gives the same result. There is no need to assume explicitly that the wave function has collapsed, nor even to assume that an ideal measurement has been made. In addition, we differentiate between what has been referred to as the quantum Zeno effect and what has been termed the quantum Zeno paradox. The former is the inhibition of induced transitions, and the latter is the, as yet experimentally unobserved, inhibition of spontaneous decay. Our interpretation, which emphasizes the ``measurement''-induced interruption of atomic-state coherences as the cause of inhibited quantum transitions, suggests a resolution to the quantum Zeno paradox. The theoretical limit of continuous observation is discussed.
The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) predicts a slow-down of the time development of a system under rapidly repeated ideal measurements, and experimentally this was tested for an ensemble of atoms using short laser pulses for non-selective state measurements. Here we consider such pulses for selective measurements on a single system. Each probe pulse will cause a burst of fluorescence or no fluorescence. If the probe pulses were strictly ideal measurements, the QZE would predict periods of fluorescence bursts alternating with periods of no fluorescence (light and dark periods) which would become longer and longer with increasing frequency of the measurements. The non-ideal character of the measurements is taken into account by incorporating the laser pulses in the interaction, and this is used to determine the corrections to the ideal case. In the limit, when the time between the laser pulses goes to zero, no freezing occurs but instead we show convergence to the familiar macroscopic light and dark periods of the continuously driven Dehmelt system. An experiment of this type should be feasible for a single atom or ion in a trap
The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) predicts a slow-down of the time development of a system under rapidly repeated ideal measurements, and experimentally this was tested for an ensemble of atoms using short laser pulses for non-selective state measurements. Here we consider such pulses for selective measurements on a single system. Each probe pulse will cause a burst of fluorescence or no fluorescence. If the probe pulses were strictly ideal measurements, the QZE would predict periods of fluorescence bursts alternating with periods of no fluorescence (light and dark periods) which would become longer and longer with increasing frequency of the measurements. The non-ideal character of the measurements is taken into account by incorporating the laser pulses in the interaction, and this is used to determine the corrections to the ideal case. In the limit, when the time, , between the laser pulses goes to zero, no freezing occurs but instead we show convergence to the familiar macroscopic light and dark periods of the continuously driven Dehmelt system. An experiment of this type should be feasible for a single atom or ion in a trap.
Quantum mechanical effects which are manifested in measurements on trapped atomic ions are reviewed. Observation of these effects is facilitated by the long storage times of a fixed number of laser-cooled ions and by high detection sensitivities, primarily through the observation of scattered laser light. We discuss the observation of quantum jumps and the application of quantum jumps to measurement of atomic ion lifetimes and spectra, detection of antibunching of light, the quantum Zeno effect and quantum projection noise. Experiments which detect nonclassical features of fluorescent light from single or a few trapped ions are briefly reviewed. Finally, we discuss experiments which reveal quantum effects in the motion of trapped ions. We briefly describe possible future extensions for each of these topics.
We experimentally demonstrate the quantum anti-Zeno effect in a two-level system based on a single trapped ion 40 Ca + . In the large detuning regime, we show that the transfer from the ground state to the excited state can be remarkably enhanced by the inserted projection measurements. The inserted measurements in our experiment are realized by the electron shelving technique. Compared to the ideal projection measurement, which makes the quantum state collapse instantaneously, a practical electron shelving process needs a finite time duration. The minimum time for this collapse process is shown to be inversely proportional to the square of the coupling strength between the measurement laser and the system.