Atomic waveguides and cavities from hollow optical fibers

The analysis of hollow optical fiber atomic waveguides uses quite simple physics. On this basis we claim to have demonstrated their feasibility. The primary obstacles appear to be technical, such as how to couple light into the optical waveguide. The idea of an atomic waveguide appears to us to be sufficiently fundamental that interesting applications, pure and applied, will follow. We have speculated that they might be used to make atomic cavities, which are one element required for the construction of an atomic laser . On a more practical level flexible mass transport alone may prove useful.