Loading of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the boson-accumulation regime

Abstract

We study the optical loading of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate by spontaneous emission of atoms in excited electronic state in the Boson-Accumulation Regime. We generalize the previous simplified analysis of ref. [Phys. Rev. A 53, 2466 (1996)], to a 3D case in which more than one trap level of the excited state trap is considered. By solving the corresponding quantum many-body master equation, we demonstrate that also for this general situation the photon reabsorption can help to increase the condensate fraction. Such effect could be employed to realize a continuous atom laser, and to overcome condensate losses.

7 pages, 5 eps figures, uses epl.sty