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Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 030401 (2004) [4 pages]

Quantum Zeno Effect for Exponentially Decaying Systems

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Kazuki Koshino*
CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Department of Physical Science, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan

Akira Shimizu†
Department of Basic Science, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan

Received 3 July 2003; published 22 January 2004

The quantum Zeno effect—suppression of decay by frequent measurements—was believed to occur only when the response of the detector is so quick that the initial tiny deviation from the exponential decay law is detectable. However, we show that it can occur even for exactly exponentially decaying systems, for which this condition is never satisfied, by considering a realistic case where the detector has a finite energy band of detection. The conventional theories correspond to the limit of an infinite bandwidth. This implies that the Zeno effect occurs more widely than expected thus far.

© 2004 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.030401
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.030401
PACS:
03.65.Xp, 03.65.Yz, 06.20.Dk

*Electronic address: ikuzak@aria.mp.es.osaka-u.ac.jp

†Electronic address: shmz@ASone.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp

 
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