Increase of the atomic phase density in a hollow laser waveguide

A study is made of the channeling of atoms in a narrowing hollow waveguide carrying on its inner surface a surface wave with positive detuning for the absorption line of an atom. The inelastic reflection of atoms from the surface light wave and the convergent geometry of the waveguide make it possible to decrease the temperature and increase the phase density of an ensemble of atoms introduced continuously into the hollow convergent waveguide from a magnetooptic trap, by a factor of 10(5). It is suggested that such a waveguide be used to study collective phenomena in quantum-mechanical systems with a high density (Bose-Einstein condensate) and as a high-luminosity coherent source of cold atoms. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.