Laser Spectroscopy in Molecular Beams

Abstract

For a long time the development of spectroscopic techniques and the progress achieved in the physics of molecular beams had proceeded side by side without too much mutual interaction. Although in the microwave and radiofrequency region a combination of both techniques had proved to be very successful in providing detailed information about molecules in their ground-states (Rabi-method) (1), only a few attempts had been made in the optical region with the goal to achieve narrow spectral lines with reduced Doppler-width (2). A real synthesis of optical spectroscopy and molecular beam techniques had to wait for the development of intense monochromatic tunable lasers.