Atom optics with hollow optical systems

Recent theoretical as well as experimental progress in atom optics using optical means—in particular, hollow optical systems such as pyramidal hollow mirror, conical hollow mirror, and hollow-core optical fiber—are presented. These hollow optical systems provide the dark hollow region where atoms can be manipulated in a way so as to minimize the external perturbations due to the optical fields once the atoms are cooled and trapped. Therefore, such systems provide very simple and reliable ways of preparing precooled atoms for further elaborate atom optics experiments and also for introducing them efficiently into low-dimensional space, such as the 2D atomic channel or the 1D atomic wire.