A supersonic beam of noble gas atoms is a source of unprecedented
brightness.Anovel short pulse supersonic nozzle is developed with beam intensity
that is higher by at least an order of magnitude than other available sources. We
show how this beam can be coherently slowed and focused using elastic reflection
from single crystals. Simulations show beam fluxes of 1011 atoms s’1 at velocities
of 50ms’1 and temperatures of less than 20?K in the longitudinal direction.
Possible applications of this slow beam to the study of atom’surface interactions
and atom interferometry are discussed.