Relatively little is known about the dynamics of electron transfer reactions at low collision energy. We present a study of Penning ionization of ground state methyl fluoride molecules by electronically excited neon atoms in the 13 $mu$eV--4.8 meV (1
50 mK--56 K) collision energy range, using a neutral-neutral merged beam setup. Relative cross sections have been measured for three Ne($^3P_2$)+ CH$_3$F reaction channels by counting the number of CH$_3$F$^+$, CH$_2$F$^+$, and CH$_3^+$ product ions, as a function of relative velocity between the neon and methyl fluoride molecular beams. Experimental cross sections markedly deviate from the Langevin capture model at collision energies above 20 K. The branching ratios are constant. In other words, the chemical shape of the CH$_3$F molecule, as seen by Ne($^3P_2$) atom, appears not to change as the collision energy is varied, in contrast to related Ne($^3P_J$) + CH$_3$X (X=Cl and Br) reactions at higher collision energies.
Translationally cold and slow ND3 is prepared by filtering the slow molecules from a thermal gas-phase sample using a curved electrostatic hexapole guide. This filter, like the curved quadrupole guide introduced by Rempe et al. in 2003, selects molec
ules by their forward velocity and effective electric dipole moment. Here we describe two main modifications with respect to previous work: 1. A hexapole guide is used instead of a quadrupole, thus producing a harmonic potential for the linearly Stark-shifted levels of ND3. The curved guide is combined with a straight hexapole guide with independent high-voltage supplies to allow for band-pass velocity filtering. 2. State-selective laser ionization is used to obtain time- and state selective detection of the guided molecules. This enables the experimental determination of the rotational state population of the guided molecules.
A new type of decelerator is presented where polar neutral molecules are guided and decelerated using the principle of traveling electric potential wells, such that molecules are confined in stable three-dimensional traps throughout. This new deceler
ator is superior to the best currently operational decelerator (Scharfenberg et al., Phys.Rev.A 79, 023410(2009)), providing a substantially larger acceptance even at higher accelerations. The mode of operation is described and experimentally demonstrated by guiding and decelerating CO molecules.
