We observe magnetic trapping of atomic nitrogen $\left({}^{14}\mathrm{N}\right)$ and cotrapping of ground-state imidogen (${}^{14}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}$, $X{}^3\Sigma ^{-}$). Both are loaded directly from a room-temperature beam via buffer gas cooling. We trap approximately $1\times {10}^{11}$ ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ atoms at a peak density of $5\times {10}^{11}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ at $550\mathrm{mK}$. The $12\pm 4\mathrm{s}$ $1∕e$ lifetime of atomic nitrogen in the trap is consistent with a model for loss of atoms over the edge of the trap in the presence of helium buffer gas. Cotrapping of ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ and ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}$ is accomplished, with ${10}^8$ NH trapped molecules at a peak density of ${10}^8{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$.

• Received 8 February 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.78.050702