Frankfurt 2006 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help
MO: Molekülphysik
MO 52: Cold molecules I
MO 52.3: Talk
Thursday, March 16, 2006, 11:25–11:40, H10
Deceleration of Benzonitrile — •Kirstin Wohlfart, Frank Filsinger, Hendrick L. Bethlem, Jochen Küpper, and Gerard Meijer — Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin
During the last years our group has been developing methods to decelerate and cool neutral, polar molecules using time varying electric fields [1]. In order to extend this technique to large or heavy molecules, which have practically only high-field seeking states, Alternate Gradient focusing must be applied. Our group showed that this technique can be used to focus and decelerate molecules in high-field seeking states [2].
We have setup a new dedicated experiment for the focusing and deceleration of large molecules using a modular design, allowing to extend the beamline as required. Using one module we have decelerated metastable CO and benzonitrile (C7H5N). Benzonitrile is detected state specific using a narrow linewidth frequency doubled cw ring-dye-laser. Monitoring the integrated laser induced fluorescence after S1 ← S0 000 excitation full time of flight profiles can be observed for every molecular packet passing through the laser beam. Here the results on the deceleration of benzonitrile in different rotational states are presented and future experiments for deceleration of larger molecules will be discussed.
[1] H. L. Bethlem and G. Meijer, Int. Rev. Phys. Chem. 22, 73-128 (2003)
[2] H. L. Bethlem, A. J. A. van Roij, R. T. Jongma and G. Meijer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 133003 (2002)