A Molecular Beam Resonance Method with Separated Oscillating Fields

Abstract

A new molecular beam resonance method using separated oscillating fields at the incident and emergent ends of the homogeneous field region is theoretically investigated in this paper. An expression is obtained for the quantum mechanical transition probability of a system between two states when the system is subjected to such separated oscillating fields. This is numerically averaged over the molecular velocity distribution and provides the theoretical shape of the resonance curves. It is found that resonances with such a technique have a theoretical half-width only 0.6 as great as those by conventional molecular beam resonance methods. In addition to producing sharper resonance minima, the new method has its resonances much less broadened by inhomogeneities of the fixed field, it makes possible resonance experiments in regions into which an oscillating field cannot be introduced, and it is more convenient and effective with short wave-length radiation.