A micromechanical detector for molecular beams

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Abstract
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 0.5×0.3 mm 2 the small paddle allows us to detect a beam with 6.5×10 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 beamscattering experiments. The novel detection scheme has the potential to allow the development of a position sensitive molecular beamdetector.

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