QUANTUM MOTION OF TRAPPED IONS

A single ion trapped in a harmonic potential and laser cooled at the n ode of a standing wave can be described in terms of the Jaynes-Cumming s Hamiltonian known in quantum optics. Similar to nonclassical states of light we propose to prepare nonclassical states of the ion motion i n a harmonic trap. In particular, several schemes for the preparation of Fock states are presented, and techniques for the preparation of sq ueezed states and coherent states of the ion motion are indicated. For an observation of these nonclassical states we propose to measure qua ntum collapse and revival in the population inversion of a single trap ped ion.