Evidence of dark state stabilization via the quantum Zeno effect

Summary form only given. We have studied the decay of the atomic coherence on atoms initially prepared in a dark state (DS) when the coherence (Raman) resonance condition between the atomic system and the light field is suddenly removed. Under this condition, the DS is no longer stationary and its temporal evolution reveals the decay of the atomic coherence. Since in our experiments the DS is created in a ground level and dephasing collisions are negligible, the only possible relaxation channel is through the coupling to the light field. We have studied the influence of the light field intensity on the decay of the atomic coherence. We perform a Hanle type experiment on /sup 87/Rb atoms in a vapor cell.