DYNAMICS OF CONFINED IONS DRIVEN BY LIGHT-BEAMS - A SINGULAR PERTURBATION APPROACH

The probability distribution of a two-level ion confined in a time-dep endent nonlinear trapping field and driven by a radiation field is cal culated using an alternative treatment based on a singular asymptotic expansion. It is assumed that the ion is excited by electromagnetic ra diation and relaxes back irreversibly by spontaneous emission. The pre sent calculations reproduce the quantum results of the laser cooling o f ions in static traps in the heavy-particle limit, and previous class ical treatments for the confinement and cooling of ions in radio-frequ ency traps.