Guiding of metastable helium atoms through hollow optical fibres

Atoms can be transported through hollow optical Fibres using laser light blue-detuned from the atomic resonance, which propagates through the fibre to create a repulsive evanescent light field at the inner fibre wall. We report here the first transmission of metastable helium (2 S-3(1)) atoms through such hollow optical fibres. Using fused silica capillaries with several different geometries, laser radiation that is blue-detuned from the 2 S-3(1) --> 2 P-3(2) transition was focused into the body of the capillary via total internal reflection from a 45 degrees bevel polished at one end. Laser fields were used with both co- and counter-propagating configurations to the atomic beam.