Trapping of neutral atoms with resonant microwave radiation

A resonant microwave trap for neutral atoms is discussed. Because of the long spontaneous radiation time this trap is remarkably different from the optical trap. It also has advantages over static magnetic traps that trap the excited spin state of the lowest electronic level, in that atoms predominantly in the spin ground state can be trapped. The relaxation ejection lifetime of atoms in such a trap is analyzed using the formalism of dressed atomic states. Results are applied to atomic hydrogen and the possiblity of Bose-Einstein condensation is considered.