IR laser induced acceleration of neutral molecular beams

The property of molecules in an intense resonant IR laser field to absorb under collisional excitation conditions a large number of photons can be used for generation of accelerated molecular beams (jets). The method is proposed and the results are presented on TEA CO2-laser induced acceleration of pulsed neutral molecular beams. The method allows to produce intensive molecular beams with a kinetic energy of ⪆ 1 eV and it can be combined with aerodynamic acceleration.