title: A traveling wave decelerator for neutral polar molecules.
abstract: Recently, a decelerator for neutral polar molecules has been presented that operates on the basis of macroscopic, three-dimensional, traveling electrostatic traps [A. Osterwalder, S. A. Meek, G. Hammer, H. Haak, and G. Meijer, Phys. Rev. A 81, 051401 (2010)]. In the present paper, a complete description of this decelerator is given, with emphasis on the electronics and the mechanical design. Experimental results showing the transverse velocity distributions of guided molecules are shown and compared to trajectory simulations. An assessment of non-adiabatic losses is made by comparing the deceleration signals from (13)CO with those from (12)CO and with simulated signals.
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.forename: Maxwell F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heyne
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Platschkowski
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haak
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osterwalder