Stopping molecules with a centrifuge
Does the electron possess an electric dipole moment? Will it be possible to achieve perfect control over chemical reactions between polyatomic molecules, or can one envisage quantum simulations and quantum computation with cold polar molecules? The fast-growing investigation of cold polar molecules holds promise for delivering answers to these long-standing questions that concern fundamental physics as well as future applications. Producing abundant samples of cold polyatomic molecules from thermal ensembles, however, is a formidable challenge. A key method for obtaining cold molecules is the deceleration of molecular beams. This has been achieved so far only in the pulsed mode, with a very low duty cycle. Thus the hitherto-implemented techniques cannot make use of the intrinsically high flux delivered by the available continuous molecular sources. To utilize the full potential of such sources, a continuous deceleration is warranted.