  We demonstrate and characterize a cryogenic buffer gas-cooled molecular beam
source capable of producing bright beams of free radicals and refractory
species. Details of the beam properties (brightness, forward velocity
distribution, transverse velocity spread, rotational and vibrational
temperatures) are measured under varying conditions for the molecular species
SrF. Under typical conditions we produce a beam of brightness 1.2 x 10^11
molecules/sr/pulse in the rovibrational ground state, with 140 m/s forward
velocity and a rotational temperature of approximately 1 K. This source
compares favorably to other methods for producing beams of free radicals and
refractory species for many types of experiments. We provide details of
construction that may be helpful for others attempting to use this method.
