A compact and highly collimated atomic/molecular beam source
Geetika Bhardwaj, Saurabh Kumar Singh, Pranav R. Shirhatti
We describe the design, characterization, and application of a simple, highly collimated, and compact atomic/molecular beam source. This source is based on a segmented capillary design, constructed using a syringe needle. Angular width measurements and free molecular flow simulations show that the segmented structure effectively suppresses atoms traveling in off-axis directions, resulting in a narrow beam of Helium atoms having a width of 7 mrad (full width half maximum). We demonstrate an application of this source by using it for monitoring real-time changes in surface coverage on a clean Cu(110) surface exposed to oxygen by measuring the specular reflectivity of the Helium beam generated using this source.
arXiv:2301.13407•Review of Scientific Instruments•Apr 1, 2023•1 citation