We discuss an experimental scheme to create a low-dimensional gas of ultracold atoms, based on inelastic bouncing on an evanescent-wave mirror. Close to the turning point of the mirror, the atoms are transferred into an optical dipole trap. This scheme can compress the phase-space density and can ultimately yield an optically driven atom laser. An important issue is the suppression of photon scattering due to “cross talk” between the mirror potential and the trapping potential. We propose that for alkali-metal atoms the photon scattering rate can be suppressed by several orders of magnitude if the atoms are decoupled from the evanescent-wave light. We discuss how such dark states can be achieved by making use of circularly polarized evanescent waves.

• Received 4 November 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.61.053604