Inelastic scattering of magnetically trapped atomic chromium
Abstract
Cold collisions of atomic chromium in a magnetic trap are studied. A cryogenic buffer gas is employed to load 1012 chromium atoms into a magnetic trap at an initial temperature of ∼1 K. The trap depth is then lowered to cool the atoms to temper atures as low as 2 mK. After cooling, the steady state temperature and the number of remaining atoms are measured and the chromium collisional properties extracted. Elastic and inelastic scattering rates for 52Cr- 52Cr are measured at temperatures ranging from 2 mK to 1 K. The inelastic scattering rate coefficient shows a dramatic variation with temperature. At 1 K it is roughly 10-13cm3s -1. However, at temperatures just above the ultra-cold limit, the scattering rate sharply increases to values as high as 2 x 10 -9cm3s -1.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003PhDT.......134D