Trapping neutral molecules in a traveling potential well

A series of pulsed electric fields can be arranged such that it creates a t raveling potential well in which neutral dipolar molecules can be confined. This provides a method to transport, to decelerate, and to cool a sample o f neutral molecules while maintaining the initial phase-space density. This method is described using the concept of phase stability. The oscillating motion of molecules in the traveling potential well, reaching a minimum vel ocity spread corresponding to a translational temperature of 4 mK, is exper imentally observed.