Paper detail

State selective detection of velocity filtered ND$_3$ molecules

Translationally cold and slow ND3 is prepared by filtering the slow molecules from a thermal gas-phase sample using a curved electrostatic hexapole guide. This filter, like the curved quadrupole guide introduced by Rempe et al. in 2003, selects molecules by their forward velocity and effective electric dipole moment. Here we describe two main modifications with respect to previous work: 1. A hexapole guide is used instead of a quadrupole, thus producing a harmonic potential for the linearly Stark-shifted levels of ND3. The curved guide is combined with a straight hexapole guide with independent high-voltage supplies to allow for band-pass velocity filtering. 2. State-selective laser ionization is used to obtain time- and state selective detection of the guided molecules. This enables the experimental determination of the rotational state population of the guided molecules.