Experimental demonstration of the optical Zeno effect by scanning tunneling optical microscopy.
An experimental demonstration of a classical analogue of the quantum Zeno effect for light waves propagating in engineered arrays of tunneling-coupled optical waveguides is reported. Quantitative mapping of the flow of light, based on scanning tunneling optical microscopy, clearly demonstrates that the escape dynamics of light in an optical waveguide side-coupled to a tight-binding continuum is slowed down when projective measurements, mimicked by sequential interruptions of the decay, are performed on the system.
LNESS, Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milano, Italy.
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D003198:Computer Simulation; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D011789:Quantum Theory