Physics of Plasmas
Low noise asymptotic approach to the laser cooling of trapped ions
JORGE R. SOBEHART
Abstract
The probability distributions of dilute ion systems and two-ion systems trapped in time-dependent potential wells and driven by a radiation field are studied. Ions are excited by electromagnetic radiation and relax back due to either spontaneous or stimulated emissions. The photon statistics are considered Poissonian and the momentum transfer between the electromagnetic field, and the ions are assumed discrete. In the present classical treatment, the photon–ion interaction is simulated, with an effective noise acting on the ions, which produces a stochastic transfer of momentum. The present results are closely related to the quantum treatment in the heavy particle limit as well as to those derived from previous semiclassical models.