Slowing of supersonically cooled atoms and molecules by time-varying nonresonant induced dipole forces

We describe a versatile method for slowing molecules (or atoms) which relies on high-field-seeking states created by the polarizability interaction with a nonresonant laser field. A pulsed supersonic beam expansion is employed to precool the molecules internally and to narrow their velocity spread. The molecules are scooped at right angles by a nonresonant laser beam steered by a scanner and decelerated on a circular path by gradually reducing the beam's angular speed.