Abstract

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in guiding neutral atoms in small structures, because such devices have potential applications in integrated atom optics^1,2 and atom interferometry.³ There is also the possibility of performing evaporative cooling of atoms propagating along such guides.⁴ Small guides^2,5,6 can produce very strong confining fields but the transfer of cold atoms from a MOT into such guides present a problem.

© 2001 Optical Society of America