Quantum and classical chaos for a single trapped ion - art. no. 013401

In this paper we investigate the quantum and classical dynamics of a single trapped ion subject to nonlinear kicks derived from a periodic sequence of Gaussian laser pulses. We show that the classical system exhibits: diffusi ve growth in the energy, or "heating,'' while quantum mechanics suppresses this heating. This system may be realized in current single trapped-ion exp eriments with the addition of near-field optics to introduce tightly focuse d laser pulses into the trap.