High efficiency all-light atom guide

Summary form only given. One of the more promising proposals for guiding and focusing neutral atoms involves dark hollow laser beams. When detuned blue of resonance, the dipole force the atoms feel in the light confines them to the dark core of the beam where they can be transported with minimal interaction with the light. Dark hollow beams show promise for long distance transport of large numbers of ultra cold atoms, making them a strong competitor with hollow-core fiber atom guides. In this presentation we describe a simple way to construct an all-light atom tunnel with a series of axicons and a moderately powered diode laser beam.