Molecular beam diagnostics by means of fast superconducting bolometer and pulsed infrared laser

The laser-bolometric infrared spectroscopy is an efficient method for measuring the internal energy distributions of molecular beams. Additional informations about the kinetic energy distribution of molecules in a selected internal state can be obtained from time resolved experiments. A fast superconducting bolometer and a pulsed infrared CO₂ laser have been used for testing the use of this technique as a universal tool for molecular beam diagnostics. Experimental results are presented and analyzed for pure SF₆ and helium seeded with 5% SF₆ beams. The efficiency of fast superconducting bolometers, used for molecular beam time-of-flight measurements, is discussed. A comparison is made between time resolved laser-bolometric technique and alternative molecular beam diagnostic methods.