Slow Molecules Produced by Photodissociation

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a simple method to produce slow molecules via photodissociation, enabling control over molecular translation by canceling beam velocity with recoil velocity, confirmed by experimental spatial profiles.

Contribution

It introduces a straightforward technique to generate slow molecules through partial velocity cancellation during photodissociation, validated by experimental spatial profile measurements.

Findings

Produced decelerated NO molecules confirmed by spatial profile peaks

Decelerated molecules remained near initial positions for hundreds of nanoseconds

Experimental results matched theoretical predictions

Abstract

A simple method to control molecular translation with a chemical reaction is demonstrated. Slow NO molecules have been produced by partially canceling the molecular beam velocity of NO$_2$ with the recoil velocity of the NO photofragment. The NO$_2$ molecules were photodissociated using a UV laser pulse polarized parallel to the molecular beam. The spatial profiles of NO molecules showed two peaks corresponding to decelerated and accelerated molecules, in agreement with theoretical prediction. A significant portion of the decelerated NO molecules stayed around the initial dissociation positions even several hundred nanoseconds after their production.