VIBRATIONAL AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED-EMISSION OF RADIATION

We propose the use of a single trapped and laser-cooled ion for vibrat ional amplification assisted by stimulated emission of radiation. This quantum-mechanical counterpart of the micromaser allows one to modify the fundamental vibronic coupling externally. In particular, a vibrat ional number state can be prepared in a coherent interaction regime, w hereas incoherent interaction may yield a sub-Poissonian, binomial num ber distribution.