Transport of polar molecules by an alternating-gradient guide

Journal Article · Thu Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.80.043407· OSTI ID:21316427

Wall, T E; Armitage, S; Hudson, J J; Sauer, B E; Dyne, J M; Hinds, E A; Tarbutt, M R ^[1]

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1. Centre for Cold Matter, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

An alternating-gradient electric guide provides a way to transport a wide variety of polar molecules, including those in high-field-seeking states. We investigate the motion of polar molecules in such a guide by measuring the transmission of CaF molecules in their high-field-seeking ground state, with the guide operating at a variety of switching frequencies and voltages. We model the guide using analytical and numerical techniques and compare the predictions of these models to the experimental results and to one another. The analytical results are approximate but provide simple and useful estimates for the maximum phase-space acceptance of the guide and for the switching frequency required. The numerical methods provide more accurate results over the full range of switching frequencies. Our investigation shows that, even when the fields are static, some high-field-seeking molecules are able to pass through the guide on metastable trajectories. We show that the maximum possible transmission requires accurate alignment within the guide and between the guide and detector.

• OSTI ID: 21316427
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 80; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALIGNMENT
APPROXIMATIONS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
GROUND STATES
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
METASTABLE STATES
MOLECULES
PHASE SPACE
PHOTON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
STARK EFFECT
TRANSMISSION