Buﬀer-gas cooling and magnetic trapping of CrH and MnH molecules

We report on the buffer-gas cooling and trapping of CrH and MnH molecules in a magnetic quadrupole trap with densities on the order of ${10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ at a temperature of $650\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}$ . Storage times of up to $180\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ms}$ have been observed, corresponding to a 20-fold lifetime enhancement with respect to the field-free diffusion through the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ buffer-gas. Using Monte Carlo trajectory simulations, inelastic molecule- $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ collision cross sections of $1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ and $3.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are extracted for CrH and MnH, respectively. Furthermore, elastic molecule- $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ collision cross sections of $1.4(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are determined for both species. We conclude that the confinement time of these molecules in a magnetic trapping field is limited by inelastic collisions with the helium atoms leading to Zeeman relaxation.We report on the buffer-gas cooling and trapping of CrH and MnH molecules in a magnetic quadrupole trap with densities on the order of ${10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ at a temperature of $650\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}$. Storage times of up to $180\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ms}$ have been observed, corresponding to a 20-fold lifetime enhancement with respect to the field-free diffusion through the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ buffer-gas. Using Monte Carlo trajectory simulations, inelastic molecule-$^{3}\mathrm{He}$ collision cross sections of $1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ and $3.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are extracted for CrH and MnH, respectively. Furthermore, elastic molecule-$^{3}\mathrm{He}$ collision cross sections of $1.4(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are determined for both species. We conclude that the confinement time of these molecules in a magnetic trapping field is limited by inelastic collisions with the helium atoms leading to Zeeman relaxation.

Physical Review ASep 17, 200838 citations

650\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}

. Storage times of up to

180\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ms}

have been observed, corresponding to a 20-fold lifetime enhancement with respect to the field-free diffusion through the

^{3}\mathrm{He}

buffer-gas. Using Monte Carlo trajectory simulations, inelastic molecule-

^{3}\mathrm{He}

collision cross sections of $1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ and $3.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are extracted for CrH and MnH, respectively. Furthermore, elastic molecule-

^{3}\mathrm{He}

collision cross sections of $1.4(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ are determined for both species. We conclude that the confinement time of these molecules in a magnetic trapping field is limited by inelastic collisions with the helium atoms leading to Zeeman relaxation.