Loading atoms in a bi-dimensional light trap

We investigate theoretically a trap formed by two laser evanescent waves propagating at the surface of a dielectric prism, which confine the atoms in a Morse potential along the direction perpendicular to the prism. We consider a loading process based on the Sisyphus effect, in which a single spontaneous Raman transition is involved. We show that it is possible to achieve in this way an efficient loading of the ground state of the Morse potential, and to get thus a quasi-bi-dimensional atomic gas at the surface of the dielectric.