title: Trapping neutral molecules in a traveling potential well.
abstract: A series of pulsed electric fields can be arranged such that it creates a traveling potential well in which neutral dipolar molecules can be confined. This provides a method to transport, to decelerate, and to cool a sample of neutral molecules while maintaining the initial phase-space density. This method is described using the concept of phase stability. The oscillating motion of molecules in the traveling potential well, reaching a minimum velocity spread corresponding to a translational temperature of 4 mK, is experimentally observed.
authors.affiliation: FOM-Institute for Plasmaphysics Rijnhuizen, P.O. Box 1207, NL-3430 BE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bethlem
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berden
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Roij
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Crompvoets
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meijer