Bose-Einstein Condensation in a CO₂-laser Optical Dipole Trap

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We report on the achieving of Bose-Einstein condensation of a dilute atomic gas based on trapping atoms in tightly confining CO₂-laser dipole potentials. Quantum degeneracy of rubidium atoms is reached by direct evaporative cooling in both crossed and single beam trapping geometries. At the heart of these all-optical condensation experiments is the ability to obtain high initial atomic densities in quasistatic dipole traps by laser cooling techniques. Finally, we demonstrate the formation of a condensate in a field insensitive mF=0 spin projection only. This suppresses fluctuations of the chemical potential from stray magnetic fields.