A versatile molecular beam apparatus for cold/ultracold collisions

Abstract

We have developed an apparatus capable of performing intrabeam and near-copropagating beam scattering experiments at collision energies from room temperature to below 1 K where interesting quantum phenomena can be observed. A detailed description of the major components of the apparatus, single and dual molecular beam valves, high speed chopper, and the discharge source, is presented. With the intrabeam scattering setup, a novel dual-slit chopper permits collision energies down to millikelvins with a collision energy spread of 20%. With the near-copropagating beam configuration, state-to-state differential cross sections for rotationally inelastic collisions of highly vibrationally excited NO molecules with Ar have been measured at broadly tunable energies documenting the versatility of the instrument. Future applications in stereodynamics and cold state-to-state collisions of vibrationally excited polyatomic molecules are briefly discussed.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
May 12, 2020
Source ID
10.1063/5.0007382

Entities

People

  • Arthur G. Suits
  • Chandika Amarasinghe
  • Chatura A. Perera

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Army Research Office
  • University of Missouri

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing