Quantum collapses and revivals in an anharmonic ion trap

In this communication we report our investigation of the time evolution of a single two-level ion in an anharmonic trap potential, while interacting with a single-mode laser light field. The anharmonicity of the trap potential is parametrized by the deformation parameter q. Such an anharmonic trap potential is expected to be closer to the experimental situation in comparison with a harmonic trap potential. Our analysis indicates that the quantum collapses and revivals of the system is drastically suppressed by the anharmonicity of the trap potential. Indeed, for large anharmonicities the collapse and revival pattern is completely wiped out.