Integrated atom optics using light

Summary form only given. The realization of miniaturized and integrated atom-optical elements at surfaces is of interest for many applications ranging from precision measurements to quantum information processing. So far, experimental work has been restricted to magnetic potentials above microfabricated current-carrying wires. Our present work now explores the case of optical potentials and some of its possibilities, including novel integrated atom optical elements such as a continuous atom source, a local atom detector and a quasi-1D surface lattice. In order to realize a continuous atom source for our experiments argon atoms from a slow atomic beam are collected and cooled in a magneto-optical surface trap.