Magnetic trapping of transition-metal and rare-earth atoms using buffer-gas loading

We report on the magnetic trapping of new species of transition-metal and rare-earth atoms using buffer-gas loading. This thesis details the results from two experiments. In the first experiment, we investigate the Zeeman relaxation rate in cold collisions of transition-metal (TM) and rare-earth (RE) atoms with He. The RE and TM atoms chosen for this study are in non-S-states, that is, they have finite orbital angular momentum and non-spherical electronic density distributions. The interaction anisotropy between non-S-state atoms and a collision partner may drive Zeeman relaxation via inelastic collisions. We find, however, that inelastic collisions are dramatically suppressed for transition-metal Ti and rare-earth atoms Pr, Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm due to the unpaired electrons being "submerged" beneath a filled outer s shell. We successfully trap all of the rare-earth atoms studied. In addition to Ti, we also attempt to measure the inelastic collision rates for Sc, Y and Zr. We are only able to place a lower limit on the inelastic collision cross sections for Sc-He and Y-He collisions. We are unable to measure the inelastic collision cross section for Zr-He collisions due to inconsistent Zr ablation yields. In the second experiment, we trap and evaporatively cool atomic molybdenum. We observe two-body decay from the trap and determine the inelastic Mo-Mo collision rate.