Buffer-gas cooling of NH via the beam loaded buffer-gas method

Abstract

NH radicals from a molecular beam are cooled using a novel beam-loaded buffer gas method. The radicals are produced in a glow discharge beam source and injected into cryogenic helium gas. Up to 10 12 molecules in their ground electronic, vibrational, and rotational state are detected in the buffer gas and translational temperatures under 6 K are achieved. The cooling method presented is general and can be applied to any molecules in a molecular beam. PACS. 33.80.Ps Optical cooling of molecules; trapping - 34.50.Ez Rotational and vibrational energy transfer - 39.10.+j Atomic and molecular beam sources and techniques