Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Chinese Physics B

Three-dimensional hexapole focusing of pulsed molecular beam for state selection

Yi Ke, Xiao-Bing Deng, Zhong-Kun Hu

Published Aug 1, 2017• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We theoretically investigate three-dimensional (3D) focusing of pulsed molecular beam using a series of hexapoles with different orientations. Transversely oriented hexapoles provide both the transverse and longitudinal focusing force and a longitudinally oriented one provides only the transverse force. The hexapole focusing position are designed to realize the simultaneous focusing in three directions. The additional longitudinal focusing compared with the conventional hexapole can suppress the effect of chromatic aberration induced by the molecular longitudinal velocity spread, thus improving the state-selection purity as well as the beam density. Performance comparison of state selection between this 3D focusing hexapole and a conventional one is made using numerical trajectory simulations, choosing CHF 3 molecules as a tester. It is confirmed that our proposal can improve the state-selection purity from 68.2% to 96.1% and the beam density by a factor of 2.3.

DOI
10.1088/1674-1056/26/8/083701

Related papers

Low chromatic aberration hexapole for molecular state selection

Yi Ke, Xiao-Bing Deng, Zhong-Kun Hu

Abstract In molecular beam state-selection experiments, the electrostatic hexapole acts as an optical lens, imaging molecules from the source to the focus. The molecular longitudinal velocity spread induces the phenomenon of chromatic aberration, which will reduce the state-selection purity. We propose a scheme which can effectively reduce the chromatic aberration by changing the hexapole voltage operating manner. The hexapole is already charged before molecules arrive at the entrance of the hexapole. When molecules are completely inside the hexapole, the voltage is switched off rapidly at an appropriate time. In this manner, faster molecules travel a longer hexapole focusing region than slower molecules. Therefore the focusing positions of molecules with different velocities become close. Numerical trajectory simulations of molecular state selection are carried out, and the results show that this low chromatic aberration hexapole can significantly improve the state purity from 46.2% to 87.0%.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Dec 22, 2015•2 citations

Hexapole State-Selection and Beam Focus of Linear Triatomic Molecules

Fuchun Liu, Jin Ming-Xing, Dajun Ding

The state selection and beam focus of linear triatomic molecules (OCS, HCN, ClCN, BrCN and ICN) with doubling states in a hexapole electric field have been numerically realized. The method is based on a quantum mechanical treatment of the molecular Stark energy and a classical mechanical treatment for the molecular trajectory in the field. In linear molecules with doubling states, the second-order Stark effect can be neglected and the doubling states have the same value of J and M . The influences of the molecular properties, state energies, and the apparatus parameters such as molecular beam temperature and length of the hexapole, on the role of state selection and focus have been discussed. The method established here can be taken as a guide for hexapole experiment of orientation of polar molecules.

Chinese Physics Letters•Apr 28, 2006•8 citations

Longitudinal Focusing and Cooling of a Molecular Beam

Floris M. H. Crompvoets, Rienk T. Jongma, Hendrick L. Bethlem +2 more

A neutral polar molecule experiences a force in an inhomogeneous electric field. This electric field can be designed such that a beam of polar molecules is exposed to a harmonic potential in the forward direction. In this potential the longitudinal phase-space distribution of the ensemble of molecules is rotated uniformly. This property is used to longitudinally focus a pulsed beam of ammonia molecules and to produce a beam with a longitudinal velocity spread of 0.76 m/s, corresponding to a temperature of 250 mu K.

Physical Review Letters•Aug 13, 2002•75 citations

Manipulating a beam of barium fluoride molecules using an electrostatic hexapole

Anno Touwen, Joost W. F. van Hofslot, Thijs Qualm +14 more

Abstract An electrostatic hexapole lens is used to manipulate the transverse properties of a beam of barium fluoride molecules from a cryogenic buffer gas source. The spatial distribution of the beam is measured by recording state-selective laser-induced fluorescence on an emccd camera, providing insight into the intensity and transverse position spread of the molecular beam. Although the high mass and unfavorable Stark shift of barium fluoride pose a considerable challenge, the number of molecules in the low-field seeking component of the N = 1 state that pass a 4 mm diameter aperture 712 mm behind the source is increased by a factor of 12. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the molecular beam can be displaced by up to ±5 mm by moving the hexapole lens. Our measurements agree well with numerical trajectory simulations. We discuss how electrostatic lenses may be used to increase the sensitivity of beam experiments such as the search for the electric dipole moment of the electron.

arXiv:2402.09300•New Journal of Physics•Jul 1, 2024•8 citations

Multistage Zeeman decelerator for molecular-scattering studies

Theo Cremers, Simon Chefdeville, Niek Janssen +4 more

We present a concept for a multistage Zeeman decelerator that is optimized particularly for applications in molecular beam scattering experiments. The decelerator consists of a series of alternating hexapoles and solenoids, that effectively decouple the transverse focusing and longitudinal deceleration properties of the decelerator. It can be operated in a deceleration and acceleration mode, as well as in a hybrid mode that makes it possible to guide a particle beam through the decelerator at constant speed. The deceleration features phase stability, with a relatively large six-dimensional phase-space acceptance. The separated focusing and deceleration elements result in an unequal partitioning of this acceptance between the longitudinal and transverse directions. This is ideal in scattering experiments, which typically benefit from a large longitudinal acceptance combined with narrow transverse distributions. We demonstrate the successful experimental implementation of this concept using a Zeeman decelerator consisting of an array of 25 hexapoles and 24 solenoids. The performance of the decelerator in acceleration, deceleration, and guiding modes is characterized using beams of metastable helium ($^{3}S$) atoms. Up to 60% of the kinetic energy was removed for He atoms that have an initial velocity of 520 m/s. The hexapoles consist of permanent magnets, whereas the solenoids are produced from a single hollow copper capillary through which cooling liquid is passed. The solenoid design allows for excellent thermal properties and enables the use of readily available and cheap electronics components to pulse high currents through the solenoids. The Zeeman decelerator demonstrated here is mechanically easy to build, can be operated with cost-effective electronics, and can run at repetition rates up to 10 Hz.

arXiv:1702.05477•Physical Review A•Apr 19, 2017•24 citations

Selection of a Single Spin-rotational State of Molecular Oxygen by a Hexapole Magnet

Mitsunori Kurahashi, Yasushi Yamauchi

O2 is one of the most important chemical species in every field of natural science. In the present study, a state-selected triplet molecular oxygen beam, in which nearly 100% of the molecules are in the spin-rotational state of (J, M)=(2, 2), has been produced by combining a supersonic seeded O2 beam with a hexapole magnet. The (2, −2) beam with >90% purity has also been obtained by a controlled non-adiabatic transition. The (2, ±2) beam, for which we can determine the spin and rotational angular momenta of O2 almost independently, is the most promising probe for studying the spin effects as well as the steric effects in O2 molecular scattering.

Journal of the Vacuum Society of Japan•Jan 1, 2010•0 citations
We theoretically investigate three-dimensional (3D) focusing of pulsed molecular beam using a series of hexapoles with different orientations. Transversely oriented hexapoles provide both the transverse and longitudinal focusing force and a longitudinally oriented one provides only the transverse force. The hexapole focusing position are designed to realize the simultaneous focusing in three directions. The additional longitudinal focusing compared with the conventional hexapole can suppress the effect of chromatic aberration induced by the molecular longitudinal velocity spread, thus improving the state-selection purity as well as the beam density. Performance comparison of state selection between this 3D focusing hexapole and a conventional one is made using numerical trajectory simulations, choosing CHF 3 molecules as a tester. It is confirmed that our proposal can improve the state-selection purity from 68.2% to 96.1% and the beam density by a factor of 2.3.
Abstract In molecular beam state-selection experiments, the electrostatic hexapole acts as an optical lens, imaging molecules from the source to the focus. The molecular longitudinal velocity spread induces the phenomenon of chromatic aberration, which will reduce the state-selection purity. We propose a scheme which can effectively reduce the chromatic aberration by changing the hexapole voltage operating manner. The hexapole is already charged before molecules arrive at the entrance of the hexapole. When molecules are completely inside the hexapole, the voltage is switched off rapidly at an appropriate time. In this manner, faster molecules travel a longer hexapole focusing region than slower molecules. Therefore the focusing positions of molecules with different velocities become close. Numerical trajectory simulations of molecular state selection are carried out, and the results show that this low chromatic aberration hexapole can significantly improve the state purity from 46.2% to 87.0%.
The state selection and beam focus of linear triatomic molecules (OCS, HCN, ClCN, BrCN and ICN) with doubling states in a hexapole electric field have been numerically realized. The method is based on a quantum mechanical treatment of the molecular Stark energy and a classical mechanical treatment for the molecular trajectory in the field. In linear molecules with doubling states, the second-order Stark effect can be neglected and the doubling states have the same value of J and M . The influences of the molecular properties, state energies, and the apparatus parameters such as molecular beam temperature and length of the hexapole, on the role of state selection and focus have been discussed. The method established here can be taken as a guide for hexapole experiment of orientation of polar molecules.
A neutral polar molecule experiences a force in an inhomogeneous electric field. This electric field can be designed such that a beam of polar molecules is exposed to a harmonic potential in the forward direction. In this potential the longitudinal phase-space distribution of the ensemble of molecules is rotated uniformly. This property is used to longitudinally focus a pulsed beam of ammonia molecules and to produce a beam with a longitudinal velocity spread of 0.76 m/s, corresponding to a temperature of 250 mu K.
Abstract An electrostatic hexapole lens is used to manipulate the transverse properties of a beam of barium fluoride molecules from a cryogenic buffer gas source. The spatial distribution of the beam is measured by recording state-selective laser-induced fluorescence on an emccd camera, providing insight into the intensity and transverse position spread of the molecular beam. Although the high mass and unfavorable Stark shift of barium fluoride pose a considerable challenge, the number of molecules in the low-field seeking component of the N = 1 state that pass a 4 mm diameter aperture 712 mm behind the source is increased by a factor of 12. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the molecular beam can be displaced by up to ±5 mm by moving the hexapole lens. Our measurements agree well with numerical trajectory simulations. We discuss how electrostatic lenses may be used to increase the sensitivity of beam experiments such as the search for the electric dipole moment of the electron.
We present a concept for a multistage Zeeman decelerator that is optimized particularly for applications in molecular beam scattering experiments. The decelerator consists of a series of alternating hexapoles and solenoids, that effectively decouple the transverse focusing and longitudinal deceleration properties of the decelerator. It can be operated in a deceleration and acceleration mode, as well as in a hybrid mode that makes it possible to guide a particle beam through the decelerator at constant speed. The deceleration features phase stability, with a relatively large six-dimensional phase-space acceptance. The separated focusing and deceleration elements result in an unequal partitioning of this acceptance between the longitudinal and transverse directions. This is ideal in scattering experiments, which typically benefit from a large longitudinal acceptance combined with narrow transverse distributions. We demonstrate the successful experimental implementation of this concept using a Zeeman decelerator consisting of an array of 25 hexapoles and 24 solenoids. The performance of the decelerator in acceleration, deceleration, and guiding modes is characterized using beams of metastable helium (3S^{3}S3S) atoms. Up to 60% of the kinetic energy was removed for He atoms that have an initial velocity of 520 m/s. The hexapoles consist of permanent magnets, whereas the solenoids are produced from a single hollow copper capillary through which cooling liquid is passed. The solenoid design allows for excellent thermal properties and enables the use of readily available and cheap electronics components to pulse high currents through the solenoids. The Zeeman decelerator demonstrated here is mechanically easy to build, can be operated with cost-effective electronics, and can run at repetition rates up to 10 Hz.
O2 is one of the most important chemical species in every field of natural science. In the present study, a state-selected triplet molecular oxygen beam, in which nearly 100% of the molecules are in the spin-rotational state of (J, M)=(2, 2), has been produced by combining a supersonic seeded O2 beam with a hexapole magnet. The (2, −2) beam with >90% purity has also been obtained by a controlled non-adiabatic transition. The (2, ±2) beam, for which we can determine the spin and rotational angular momenta of O2 almost independently, is the most promising probe for studying the spin effects as well as the steric effects in O2 molecular scattering.