Generation of intense low-energy molecular beams

A method of generation of intense pulsed molecular beams of low kinetic energy is suggested. The method is based on formation of a cold pressure shock in front of a solid surface and using it as a source for generation of low-energy beams. The pressure shock is formed when an intensive pulsed gas dynamically cold supersonic molecular beam interacts with the surface. The molecular beams of H2, He, CH4 and Kr with kinetic energy ⩽10 meV and the molecular beams of H2/Kr and He/Kr with kinetic energy of H2 and He ⩽0.3 and ⩽0.6 meV accordingly were obtained.