Progress on the laser cooling and frequency-chirped magneto-optical trapping of MgF

Magnesium monofluoride (MgF) is an ideal candidate for laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping due to its light mass, fast scattering rate, and low wavelength cycling transition. Under ideal conditions, a typical cryogenic buffer gas beam of MgF can be stopped in a few centimeters. In principle, this short stopping distance allows a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of MgF to be directly loaded from a beam without additional slowing. MOT capture efficiency can be improved by a combination of frequency-chirped magneto-optical trapping, a two-stage cryogenic buffer gas beam source, and modest laser slowing. We report on the application of these three techniques toward the laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping of MgF, including high resolution spectroscopy of vibrational repumping transitions.