Düsseldorf 2007 – scientific programme

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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik

MO 22: Cold Molecules I (gemeinsam mit Q)

MO 22.5: Talk

Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 11:45–12:00, 6B

Production of Cold Neutral Molecules via the Deceleration and Photodetachment of Anions — •Andreas Osterwalder, Thomas Middelmann, and Gerard Meijer — Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG, 14195 Berlin

A new method for the production of cold neutral molecules is presented: the molecules are prepared as negative ions, decelerated, and subsequently neutralized by photodetachment.

The neutrals shall be investigated by high-resolution spectroscopy and used for chemical dynamics research in the range below 10 K. Experiments in this temperature range are essential for a complete understanding of astrochemistry and of many fundamental aspects of scattering dynamics. Nevertheless, no experimental data are available.

The new approach has the following advantages over existing techniques:

1. It is very general since it can be applied to any neutral molecule that possesses a stable anion (which is the case for many molecules, ranging from small diatomics to large bio molecules);

2. A single species can be selected for the deceleration by coupling a mass-spectrometer to the deceleration apparatus;

3. Because the neutral is formed only at the very end of the deceleration procedure the technique is also well-suited for short-lived and reactive species (in particular also for radicals);

4. The choice of the detachment wave length allows the production of the neutral in the ground state or in an excited state.