Velocity-selected magnetic guiding of Zeeman-decelerated hydrogen atoms

Abstract

An original design of magnetic guide is presented, suitable for use with Zeeman-decelerated supersonic beams of ground-state hydrogen atoms and other light paramagnetic species. Three-dimensional particle trajectory simulations show that, by combining a series of permanent-magnet Halbach arrays with pulsed high-current wire electromagnets, this guide can be used to efficiently transmit the slow, decelerated atoms and discard the faster, undecelerated atoms and other species in the gas beam. The curved guide would be suitable for guiding hydrogen atoms into an ion trap to investigate low temperature ion-molecule collisions. It is also shown that the device could be used for the guiding or velocity selection from an undecelerated supersonic or effusive beam.