Person:

Doyle, John

In a recent experiment [Weinstein et al., Nature 395, 148 (1998)] we magnetically trapped 108108ground-statecalcium monohydride molecules, CaH(X2Σ,v″=0,J″=0).CaH(X 2Σ,v″=0, J″=0). The molecules were prepared by laser ablation of a solid sample of CaH2CaH2 and loaded via thermalization with a cold (<1(<1 K) 3He3He buffer gas. The magnetic trap was formed by superconducting coils arranged in the anti-Helmholtz configuration. The detection was done by laser fluorescence spectroscopy excited at 635635 nm (in the B2Σ,v′=0−X2Σ,v″=0B 2Σ,v′=0−X 2Σ,v″=0 band) and detected at 692692 nm (within the B,v′=0−X,v″=1B,v′=0−X,v″=1 band). Both a photomultiplier tube and a CCD camera were used. Due to the thermalization of molecular rotation, only a transition from the lowest rotational state could be detected at zero field, N′=1,J′=3/2←N″=0,J″=1/2.N′=1, J′=3/2←N″=0, J″=1/2. In the magnetic field this rotational transition splits into two features, one shifted towards lower and one towards higher frequencies. The measured shifts are linear in field strength and indicate a small difference (0.02 μB)μB) in the magnetic moments between the ground and excited states. Here we present a theoretical analysis of the observed magnetic shifts. These are identified as arising from a rotational perturbation of the B2Σ,v′=0B 2Σ,v′=0 state by a close-lying A2Π,v′=1A 2Π,v′=1 state that lends the B state some of its A character. We find that the Hamiltonian can be well approximated by a 3×33×3 matrix built out of elements that connect states from within the Σ-doublet and the 2Π3/22Π3/2 manifolds. The interaction parameter describing the Σ−Π coupling in the Zeeman Hamiltonian is determined from the observed shifts and the field-free molecular parameters of CaH given by Berg and Klyning [Phys. Scr. 10, 331 (1974)] and by Martin [J. Mol. Spectrosc 108, 66 (1984)].

We describe a method for loading paramagnetic atoms or molecules into a magnetic trap. A ³He buffer gas is employed to thermalize atoms or molecules to a temperature of approximately 240 mK, lower than the depth of the trap. A model is described that indicates an initial loading density of approximately 10¹³ cm^-3. Once loading has taken place the buffer gas is removed by cryopumping. Evaporative cooling can then be applied to further lower the temperature and increase the density of the trapped sample.