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Abstract

We report the successful buffer-gas cooling and magnetic trapping of chromium atoms with densities exceeding 10¹² atoms per cm³ at a temperature of 350 mK for the trapped sample. The possibilities of extending the method to buffer-gas cool and magnetically trap molecules are discussed. To minimize the most important loss mechanism in magnetic trapping, molecules with a small spin–spin interaction and a large rotational constant are preferred. Both the CrH (⁶ Σ⁺ ground state) and MnH (⁷ Σ⁺) radicals appear to be suitable systems for future experiments.