| Cold molecules promise to revolutionarily impact atomic physics with studies of cold molecular collisions and quantum chemistry, implementation of quantum information processing, and possibilities for ferro-electric phase transitions. Our research efforts have focused on providing cold, trapped molecules through Stark deceleration of supersonic beams of hydroxyl radicals (OH) and, recently, formaldehyde molecules (H2CO). The Stark deceleration process allows us to fine-tune the mean speed of supersonically-cooled molecular packets over a velocity range from 550 m/s to rest. We will present current progress toward the study and manipulation of the OH-H2CO interaction over a range of energies tunable via the Stark slower, as well as novel deceleration techniques to achieve maximum molecular density following deceleration to low mean speeds. |
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