Inelastic scattering of magnetically trapped atomic chromium

E. E. Nikitin

S. Hensler, J. Werner, Axel Griesmaier +5 more

M. E. Riley, D. J. Diestler

Jonathan D. Weinstein

C. C. Bradley, W. R. Anderson, Jabez J. McClelland +1 more

Robert deCarvalho, Cindy Hancox, John M. Doyle

Inelastic scattering rates for magnetically trapped atomic chromium are determined for temperatures of 2 mK and higher. It is found that the rate is very large (2×10-9 cm3/s at 4 mK) and has a strong dependence on temperature. The origin of this structure in the inelastic rate remains for theoretical explanation. These experiments show that, even with bad inelastic rates, the efficacy of buffer-gas loading in producing large numbers of cold atoms is quite good.