Loading a continuous-wave atom laser by optical pumping techniques

Demonstrating that, despite loss processes. Bose-Einstein condensates can be formed in steady state is a prerequisite for obtaining a coherent beam of atoms in a continuous-wave atom laser. Tn this paper we propose a method for loading atoms into the thermal component of a Bose condensed cloud confined in a magnetic trap. This method is aimed at allowing steady-state dynamics to be achieved. The proposed scheme involves loading atoms into the conservative magnetic potential using the: spontaneous emission of photons. We show that the probability for the reabsorption of these photons may be small.