High-power infrared laser induced increase of passing probability of molecules through a cooled multichannel plate

The probability of passing molecules (SF6, CF3I) in a beam through a multichannel plate (MCP), which is cooled to Ts ≅ 80–85 K and inclined to the beam axes, is found to increase essentially when molecules are excited by a powerful infrared laser radiation into high vibrational states (with energy Ev ⩾ 0.5–2.0 eV) as compared with unexcited (vibrationally cold) ones. The method is described and the first experimental results are presented. It is shown, that the probability of passing molecules through the MCP depends strongly on the frequency and energy density of exciting laser radiation.