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Taming molecular beams

Nature Physics volume 4, pages 595–602 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

The motion of neutral molecules in a beam can be manipulated with inhomogeneous electric and magnetic fields. Static fields can be used to deflect or focus molecules, whereas time-varying fields can be used to decelerate or accelerate beams of molecules to any desired velocity. We review the possibilities that this molecular-beam technology offers, ranging from ultrahigh-resolution spectroscopy using molecular fountains to novel crossed-beam scattering experiments.

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Figure 1: Scheme of the set-up for a Stark-deceleration experiment.
Figure 2: Stark-decelerated and trapped hydroxyl radicals.
Figure 3: Scheme of the Zeeman and optical Stark decelerator.
Figure 4: High-resolution spectroscopy using Stark-decelerated beams.

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Acknowledgements

The experiments described in this review that have been carried out in our laboratory are the result of almost ten years of research by a large group of people. We are greatly indebted to the students, postdocs, senior scientists and research technicians that have been involved in this work, and without whom these experiments would not have been possible. The measurements shown in Fig. 2a were carried out with the help of S. Hoekstra, J. J. Gilijamse and J. Küpper. H.L.B. acknowledges financial support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) through a VENI-grant. The fruitful collaboration and the open exchange of ideas with the other laboratories working in this area are greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany

    Sebastiaan Y. T. van de Meerakker, Hendrick L. Bethlem & Gerard Meijer

  2. Laser Centre Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Hendrick L. Bethlem

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  1. Sebastiaan Y. T. van de Meerakker
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Correspondence to Gerard Meijer.

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van de Meerakker, S., Bethlem, H. & Meijer, G. Taming molecular beams. Nature Phys 4, 595–602 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1031

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