The researchers used an artificial atom, to show the ability to save schrödinger’s cat in a living state for an indefinite period, and precipitating his death. In order and you don’t even need to look in the drawer where the cat normally sits (or sits). The use of classical analogies like this may seem a simplification or strange, but science is very important. They show how reality is acquired at a fundamental level, and can lead to the best tools that physicists use in quantum engineering.
Scientists from Washington University in St. Louis decided to find out for sure, do I need to gather information from a quantum system — or, more simply, to look at the particle in order to affect its behavior. Can “carmosine” will be enough?
Spoiler alert: they found that the watch is not necessary.
A little history: the cat, the box and the Zeno effects
If anyone knows, what is this Schrodinger’s cat, let us recall the legend. According to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, a physical object (like an atom) has no defined properties until we carry out its measurement. In response to this, the physicist Erwin schrödinger proposed a thought experiment. He suggested that if this interpretation is correct, we could put a radioactive substance in a small container next to the Geiger counter, the counter with a hammer and place the hammer over the capsule with acid so that he crushed her in the moment of the collapse of the atom.
If all this can be put in the box with the cat, we will not be able to measure the properties of the atom, because, as far as we know, the atom is simultaneously collapsed and not collapsed (that’s what half-life). As a result, the cat is both dead and alive simultaneously until we look inside.
This is the legend. But she has a double bottom.
In 1974, scientists have wondered: does the lifetime of an unstable system from the measuring device?
This paradox became known as the quantum Zeno effect: what happens if we continuously observe an unstable atom? Disintegrate it?
According to the Zeno effect, with constant monitoring it will never emit a single particle of radiation. In 1989, it was first demonstrated in an experiment conducted by the National Institute of standards and technology, USA, and the strange hypothesis became a strange reality.
Within ten years, had proposed the opposite effect Zeno effect Antistone. Frequent measurement of radioactive atomic nucleus may accelerate its collapse, depending on the process.
It remains to understand what “dimension”.
To measure something like a radioactive atom, to conduct surveillance over it and to consider its parameters and properties, it is necessary to communicate that information came out in some form. In the process many features of the atom collapse into a single outcome that we see. But is this the reason for the collapse of the Zeno effect? Or is it possible to speed up or slow down the decay of an atom without causing it to collapse in absolute condition?
Zenon vs Antiseen
All of this brings us back to the experiment conducted by the University of Washington.
To determine whether the transfer of information to force the Zeno effect or Antiseen, the scientists used a device that in many respects behaves like an atom with many energy States.
This “artificial atom” could test the hypothesis, as the energy States of electromagnetic fashion can influence these effects.
“The rate of nuclear decay depends on the density of possible energy States, or electromagnetic modes, at a given energy,” says the researcher, Keyter merch. “That atom is split, it needs to emit a photon in one of these modes. More modes means more ways to decay, then faster decay”.
Similarly, less modes means fewer options for the collapse, which explains why atomic pot under constant surveillance never cook. Murch and his team were able to manipulate the number of modes in their artificial atom before using standard measurements, checking its status every microsecond, and speeding it up or slowing it down “decay”.
“These measurements represent the first observation of two of the Zeno effects in a single quantum system,” says Murch.
To ensure that monitoring or intervention is key, the researchers did a so-called quasiisometries, which creates a disturbance, not resulting in the collapse of the atomic state. What will be the result, no one knew.
“All day but collect data consistently showed that quasiisometry led to Zeno effects in the same way as regular dimension,” says Murch.
Therefore, it is a disturbance in the measurement process and not the direct measurement leads to the appearance of the Zeno effects and Antiseen.
Knowing this, we can apply new methods of control of quantum systems using the Zeno dynamics.
What does this mean for the poor schrödinger’s cat?
“The Zeno effect says that if we check the cat, we reset the clock of atom decay and save the life of the cat”, says Patrick Harrington. “But the trick is that the Zeno effects associated with the violation, but no information, so it is not even necessary to look in the drawer to their cause. The same effects will take place if you just shake the box”.
Schrödinger’s cat can be saved, even without looking at the box
Ilya Hel