Bose-Einstein Condensation in Atomic Gases

This paper presents fundamental principles, characteristics, and limitations of various experimental methods of cooling and trapping of neutral atoms by laser light and magnetic fields. In addition to surveying the experimental techniques, basic properties of quantum degenerate gases are discussed with particular emphasis on the Bose-Einstein condensate. We also present main parameters and expected characteristics of the first Polish Bose-Einstein condensate apparatus built in the National Laboratory of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in Toruń, Poland.