A Large Magneto‐Optical Trap of Cadmium Atoms Loaded From a Cryogenic Buffer Gas Beam

ABSTRACT We demonstrate rapid loading of a magneto‐optical trap (MOT) of cadmium atoms from a pulsed cryogenic helium buffer gas beam, overcoming strong photoionization losses. Using the transition at 229 nm, we capture up to atoms in 10 ms, achieving a peak density of cm and a phase‐space density of . The large scattering force in the deep ultraviolet enables Zeeman slowing within 5 cm of the trap, yielding a capture velocity exceeding 200 m/s. We measure the MOT trap frequency and damping constant, and determine the absolute photoionization cross‐section of the state. Photoionization losses are mitigated via dynamic detuning of the trapping light's frequency, allowing efficient accumulation of multiple atomic pulses. Our results demonstrate the benefits of deep ultraviolet (DUV) transitions and cryogenic beams for loading high‐density MOTs, especially for species with significant loss channels in their main cooling cycle. The cadmium MOT provides a robust testbed that benchmarks our DUV laser cooling system and establishes the foundation for trapping and cooling polar AlF molecules, which share many optical and structural properties with Cd.