Abstract

We are in the process of developing a system for velocity compression of a sodium atomic beam to be used in conjunction with an ongoing crossed-beam experimental program to study electronatom scattering in ground- and laser-excited states.^1,2 The technique employed is a variation of the cw Zeeman-tuned spatially varying magnetic-field method of Phillips and Metcalf³ and Prodan et al.⁴ However, a current-controlled magnetic field hexapole is also used to focus and supply a general velocity analysis of the compressed beam.

© 1987 Optical Society of America