Rydberg-Stark deceleration of atoms and molecules

The large electric dipole moments associated with highly excited Rydberg states of atoms and molecules make gas-phase samples in these states very well suited to deceleration and trapping using inhomogeneous electric fields. The methods of Rydberg-Stark deceleration with which this can be achieved are reviewed here. Using these techniques, the longitudinal motion of beams of atoms and molecules moving at speeds as high as 2500 m/s have been manipulated, with changes in kinetic energy of up to vertical bar Delta E-kin vertical bar = 1.3 x 10(-20) J (vertical bar Delta E-kin vertical bar/e = 80 meV or vertical bar Delta E-kin vertical bar/hc = 650 cm(-1)) achieved, while decelerated and trapped samples with number densities of 10(6)-10(7) cm(-3) and translational temperatures of similar to 150 mK have been prepared. Applications of these samples in areas of research at the interface between physics and physical chemistry are discussed.