Interaction of polar molecules with a resonant RF electric field: strong deflection of a NO molecular beam

Deflection of a cold supersonic NO beam seeded in He has been observed when these molecules interact with both static and a resonant oscillating electric field. The NO beam splits into two beams each one deflecting about 0.5° towards the positive and negative direction of the Stark field when the employed resonant frequency between the two Stark levels of the NO molecule is 1515 kHz. This deflection angle is about four orders of magnitude higher than the value one would expect from the NO dipole moment and the employed RF field gradient. This phenomenon suggests the possibility of a significant translational motion perpendicular to the beam axis, which is induced by the resonant RF electric field on the cold and high-density supersonic beam.