Eur. Phys. J. D 46, 307-313 (2008)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00301-8

Slow beams of massive molecules

¹ Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
² Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi, 20131, Thailand
³ R&D The DuPont Company, PO Box 80328, Experimental Station, Wilminton, DE, 19880-0328, USA
⁴ Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, TU Delft, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
⁵ Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 20, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Corresponding author: ^a hendrik.ulbricht@univie.ac.at

Received: 10 August 2007
Published online: 24 October 2007

Abstract

Slow beams of neutral molecules are of great interest for a wide range of applications, from cold chemistry through precision measurements to tests of the foundations of quantum mechanics. We report on the quantitative observation of thermal beams of perfluorinated macromolecules with masses up to 6000 amu, reaching velocities down to 11 m/s. Such slow, heavy and neutral molecular beams are of importance for a new class of experiments in matter-wave interferometry and we also discuss the requirements for further manipulation and cooling schemes with molecules in this unprecedented mass range.