https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050365
Quantum motion of three trapped ions in one dimension
1
Department of Physics, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, 410081, China
2
Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular
Physics Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan,
430071, China
Received:
10
February
1999
Revised:
25
March
1999
Published online: 15 September 1999
The hyperspherical-coordinate approach
is employed to a one-dimensional model of
three ions in a Paul trap.
It is shown that the eigen wave functions have well-defined 
nodal structure indicating a near separability
in the hyperspherical coordinates, then two
approximate good quantum numbers are introduced to classify the eigenstates. Three important classical
periodic motions, including the breathing motion and the (distorted-)symmetric or anti-symmetric
stretching motion, are found to dominate the wave function distribution.
PACS: 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 03.65.Ge – Solutions of wave equations: bound states / 42.50.Vk – Mechanical effects of light on atoms, molecules, electrons, and ions
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999
