High-energy-resolution molecular beams for cold collision studies

Abstract

Stark deceleration allows for precise control over the velocity of a pulsed molecular beam and, by the nature of its limited phase-space acceptance, reduces the energy width of the decelerated packet. We describe an alternate method of operating a Stark decelerator that further reduces the energy spread over the standard method of operation. In this alternate mode of operation, we aggressively decelerate the molecular packet using a high phase angle. This technique brings the molecular packet to the desired velocity before it reaches the end of the decelerator; the remaining stages are then used to longitudinally and transversely guide the packet to the detection/interaction region. The result of the initial aggressive slowing is a reduction in the phase-space acceptance of the decelerator and thus a narrowing of the velocity spread of the molecular packet. In addition to the narrower energy spread, this method also results in a velocity spread that is nearly independent of the final velocity. Using the alternate deceleration technique, the energy resolution of molecular collision measurements can be improved considerably.

12 pages, 9 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Low-energy molecular collisions in a permanent magnetic trap
• Operation of a Stark decelerator with optimum acceptance
• Cold collisions of OH and Rb. I: the free collision
• Mitigation of loss within a molecular Stark decelerator
• Stark deceleration of OH radicals in low-field-seeking and high-field-seeking quantum states
• Cold SO_2 molecules by Stark deceleration

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Cold and Ultracold Molecules: Science, Technology, and Applications
• High resolution ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer for cold trapped ion experiments
• Method for traveling-wave deceleration of buffer-gas beams of CH
• Rotational-state purity of Stark-decelerated molecular beams
• High-resolution collision energy control through ion position modulation in atom-ion hybrid systems
• Collisions Between Ultracold Atoms and Cold Molecules in a Dual Electrostatic-Magnetic Trap
• Beyond the Limits of Conventional Stark Deceleration