Bose-Einstein condensation in a simple microtrap

A Bose-Einstein condensate is created in a simple and robust miniature Ioffe-Pritchard trap, the so-called Z trap. This trap results from the mere combination of a Z-shaped current-carrying wire and a homogeneous bias field. The experimental procedure allows condensation of typically 3x10{sup 5} {sup 87}Rb atoms in the vertical bar F=2, m{sub F}=2> state close to any mirroring surface, irrespective of the surface structure. Thus it is ideally suited as a simple coherent source for miniature surface traps or for cold atom physics near surfaces.