Loading...
research article
A micromechanical detector for molecular beams
We demonstrate the detection of a molecular beam by means of a micromechanical momentum transfer detector operated in vibrational resonance. With a sensitive surface area of 0.5x0.3 mm(2) the small paddle allows us to detect a beam with 6.5x10(7) He atoms hitting the surface per second. The detector response time equals the damping time of the paddle oscillation of about 1 s. The detector is sensitive enough to measure intensities in molecular beam scattering experiments. The novel detection scheme has the potential to allow the development of a position sensitive molecular beam detector. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(99)01709-8].
Type
research article
Web of Science ID
WOS:000082289200010
Authors
Wicki, A.
•
Marsico, V.
•
Kuhnke, K.
•
Kern, K.
•
Paratte, L.
•
•
Publication date
1999
Published in
Volume
70
Issue
9
Start page
3562
End page
3565
Subjects
Peer reviewed
REVIEWED
EPFL units
Available on Infoscience
September 13, 2005
Use this identifier to reference this record