Transport of Bose-Einstein condensates using optical tweezers

Summary form only given. Conventional condensate production techniques severely limit optical and mechanical access for experiments due to the many laser beams and magnetic coils needed to create BECs. We demonstrate here an application of optical tweezers that transfers Bose condensates over distances of at least 44 cm (limited by the vacuum chamber) with a precision of a few micrometers. This separates the region of condensate production from that used for scientific studies. The science chamber has excellent optical and mechanical access, and the vacuum requirements in this region may well be less stringent than those necessary for production of BEC. This technique is ideally suited to deliver condensates close to surfaces, e.g. to microscopic waveguides and into electromagnetic cavities.