Suppression of Zeeman relaxation in cold collisions ofP21/2atoms

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of angular momentum depolarization in cold collisions of {sup 2}P atoms in the presence of an external magnetic field. We show that collision-induced Zeeman relaxation of Ga({sup 2}P{sub 1/2}) and In({sup 2}P{sub 1/2}) atoms in cold {sup 4}He gas is dramatically suppressed compared to atoms in {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} states. Using rigorous quantum-scattering calculations based on ab initio interaction potentials, we demonstrate that Zeeman transitions in collisions of atoms in {sup 2}P{sub 1/2} electronic states occur via couplings to the {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} state induced by the anisotropy of the interaction potential. Our results suggest the feasibility of sympathetic cooling and magnetic trapping of {sup 2}P{sub 1/2}-state atoms, such as halogens, thereby opening up exciting areas of research in precision spectroscopy and cold-controlled chemistry.