2-Dimensional Compressed Magneto-Optical Trap

We present an experimental implementation of a two-dimensional equivalent of a Compressed Magneto-Optical Trap (C-MOT [1]). A Zeeman slower produces a beam of rubidium atoms with flux $\sim$10$^{11}$~atoms~s$^{-1}$, velocity $\sim$25~m/s, and propagation direction along the $z$-axis. The Zeeman-slowed atoms enter a magnetic field of the form ${\bf B} \approx (\alpha x, -\alpha y, 0)$ with a magnetic-field gradient $\alpha$ that increases with $z$. Four cooling laser beams intersect the atomic-beam axis in a manner that the value of $\alpha$ increases from about 10~G~cm$^{-1}$ to about 50~G~cm$^{-1}$ within the cooling region. As a result, a magneto-optic compression effect is achieved. The velocity of the extracted, compressed atomic beam can be varied via a frequency difference among the cooling beams. In contrast to pulsed C-MOTs (see Ref.~[1]), our device operates continuously, and can be used as a starting point for the preparation of continuous-wave Bose Einstein Condensates and atom lasers. Simulations comparing the two-dimensional compressed MOT with a two-dimensional MOT without compression are presented. Future directions of the experiment will be discussed. [1] W. Petrich, M. H. Anderson, J. R. Ensher, E. A. Cornell, J. Opt. Soc. Am. {\bf 11}, 1332 (1994).