Circular magneto-optical trap for neutral atoms

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel scheme to magneto-optically trap neutral atoms in a ring shaped trap that can be used to transfer atoms into a circular magnetic trap with high density. This inturn enables to evaporatively cool atoms and study the behaviour of ultra cold gases in a periodic 2-dimensional potential. The circular magneto-optical trap itself is also of interest to investigate the properties of magneto-optical trap of deformed shape, such as reduction of photon-reabsorption.