LIGHT-FRONT HEAVY-QUARK EFFECTIVE THEORY AND HEAVY-MESON BOUND-STATES

The heavy-quark effective theory is developed on the light front. Base d on this effective theory, a light-front heavy-meson bound state with definite spin and parity is constructed. Within the effective theory, the Isgur-Wise function is derived in terms of the asymptotic Light-f ront bound state amplitudes in the limit m(Q) --> infinity; the result s a general expression for arbitrary recoil velocities. With the asymp totic form of the BSW amplitudes, the Isgur-Wise function is given by xi(upsilon .upsilon') = 1/upsilon .upsilon. The slope at the zero-reco il point is rho(2) = -xi'(1) = 1, in excellent agreement with the rece nt CLEO result of rho(2) = 1.01 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.09.