In a paper published on Sept. 21, 2015, in the journal Physical Review Letters, Cornell Physicists experimentally determined that atoms can be frozen, or “quantum locked” to constantly be observed. This phenomenon, called the quantum Zeno effect, suggests that constant observation of a particle can prevent it from decaying.
The importance of the quantum Zeno effect is that it restricts the quantum tunneling of particles. The quantum tunneling of particles shows that particles, due to their wave-like properties, can tunnel through barriers that they normally would not be able to pass through. An example of the tunnelling effect is when electrons are found inside the nucleus of an atom. Normally, electrons are observed surrounding the nucleus.
The quantum Zeno effect freezes a particle in place by constantly observing it. This may sound familiar to the expression, “A watched pot never boils,” or more famously, the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who.
The Cornell Physicists trapped atoms of rubidium gas in an optical lattice. The atoms would decay to the lowest energy states, becoming trapped in the energy wells of the lattice, but still be able to escape due to quantum tunnelling. However, the researchers discovered that they could stop the tunnelling from happening by constantly zapping the atoms with lasers. Using an imaging technique they developed, the team observed the atoms. They found that rapid, projective zapping versus slow zapping yielded different results. Rapid measurements froze the decay of the atom and suppressed its evolution.
Though more research is absolutely required to gain more insight into this quantum phenomenon, this particular experiment appears to confirm the quantum Zeno effect.