Optical deflection of molecules

When intense light interacts with a molecule it induces a force proportional to the gradient of the Stark shift. We use this nonresonant force to deflect I-2 and CS2 molecules. We trace the direction of molecules in a molecular beam, showing that the molecules that pass near the center of a 1.06-mu m or 10.6-mu m laser beam will focus. We predict that Stark shifts on the order of 50 meV can be obtained for all small molecules and atoms while maintaining ionization rates below 10(6) s(-1). Among the devices that can be based on the nonresonant Stark shift are molecular accelerators and molecular quantum wires.