The evolution of a quantum system is supposed to be impeded by measurement of an involved observable. This effect has been proven indistinguishable from the effect of dephasing the systems wave function, except in an individual quantum system. The coherent dynamics, on an optical E2 line, of a single trapped ion driven by light of negligible phase drift has been alternated with interrogations of the internal ion state. Retardation of the ions nutation, equivalent to the quantum Zeno effect, is demonstrated in the statistics of sequences of probe-light scattering on and off detections, the latter representing back-action-free measurement.
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