All-optical Bose-Einstein condensation in a 1.06 μm dipole trap

We report the all-optical production of a Rb-87 Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in a simple 1.06 mu m dipole trap experiment. We load a single beam dipole trap directly from a magneto-optic trap (MOT). After evaporation in the single beam a second crossed beam is used for compression. The intensity in both beams is then reduced for evaporation to BEC. We obtain a BEC with 3.5 x 10(4) atoms after 3 s of total evaporation time. We also give a detailed account of the thermal distribution in cross beam traps. This account highlights the possible difficulties in using shorter wavelength lasers to condense all optically. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.