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Two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate in an optical surface trap

D. Rychtarik, B. Engeser, H. -C. Nägerl, R. Grimm

cond-mat.softarXiv:cond-mat/0309536

Abstract

We report on the creation of a two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate of cesium atoms in a gravito-optical surface trap. The condensate is produced a few micrometer above a dielectric surface on an evanescent-wave atom mirror. After evaporative cooling by all-optical means, expansion measurements for the tightly confined vertical motion show energies well below the vibrational energy quantum. The presence of a condensate is observed in two independent ways by a magnetically induced collapse at negative scattering length and by measurements of the horizontal expansion.

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