Magnetic trapping of atomic nitrogen (14^N) and cotrapping of NH (X-triplet-Sigma-)

TL;DR

This study demonstrates magnetic trapping of atomic nitrogen and cotrapping with NH molecules using buffer gas cooling, achieving high densities and long trap lifetimes, with no observed spin relaxation in helium collisions.

Contribution

First direct magnetic trapping of atomic nitrogen and cotrapping of NH molecules from room temperature beams using buffer gas cooling.

Findings

Trapped ~10^11 nitrogen atoms at 550 mK with a 12+/-3 s lifetime.

Cotrapped 10^8 NH molecules with nitrogen, achieving high densities.

No spin relaxation observed in nitrogen-helium collisions.

Abstract

We observe magnetic trapping of atomic nitrogen (14^N) and cotrapping of ground state imidogen (14^NH, X-triplet-Sigma-). Both are loaded directly from a room temperature beam via buffer gas cooling. We trap approximately 1 * 10^11 14^N atoms at a peak density of 5 * 10^11 cm^-3 at 550 mK. The 12 +5/-3 s 1/e lifetime of atomic nitrogen in the trap is limited by elastic collisions with the helium buffer gas. Cotrapping of 14^N and 14^NH is accomplished, with 10^8 NH trapped molecules at a peak density of 10^8 cm^-3. We observe no spin relaxation of nitrogen in collisions with helium.