Contact: Science Press Package
scipak@aaas.org
202-326-6440
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Slow-motion Molecular Crashes

Caption: Picture of the Stark decelerator. The electric field stages are placed 11mm from each other. The length of the device is 1111mm. The molecules are decelerated or accelerated by switching at the appropriate times a voltage differences of 40 kV between opposing electrodes. This image relates to article that appeared in the September 15, 2006, issue of the journal Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Joop Gilijamse of the Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft and colleagues, was titled "Near-Threshold Inelastic Collisions with the Use of Molecular Beams with a Tunable Velocity."

Credit: Photo provided by Poelman, FOM Institute for Plasmaphysics "Rijnhuizen," Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, via Science-AAAS.

Usage Restrictions: Please cite the owner of the image when publishing. This image may be freely used by reporters as part of news coverage, with proper attribution. Non-reporters must contact Science for permission.