Open Collections

Abstract

This thesis presents the development and application of a Zeeman decelerator for manipulating paramagnetic molecular species in supersonic beams. The primary goal of this work is to enable precise control over the velocity and internal quantum states of reactive radicals—specifically hydroxyl (OH) and cyanogen (CN)—to facilitate high-resolution spectroscopy and low-temperature reaction studies. The experimental setup integrates a pulsed supersonic source, a modular Zeeman decelerator, and state-selective detection techniques including laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). Molecular oxygen (O₂) was used as an initial test species to verify system alignment and evaluate deceleration performance. By tuning the phase angle of the decelerator, O₂ was successfully slowed from the initial velocity which confirm the decelerator’s functionality. Following this validation, OH radicals produced by DC discharge were guided magnetically, demonstrating that the system can effectively handle reactive radical species. The ultimate objective of decelerating OH and CN radicals is to confine them at low velocities for extended interrogation times, enabling quantum-state-resolved spectroscopy and studies of cold collisions with high precision. In particular, CN radicals are of significant interest in astrochemistry due to their abundance in the interstellar medium and their role in nitrogen-based chemical networks.