Controlling cold atoms above a magnetic reflector

This article outlines the basic physical principles of the magnetic atom re flector and summarizes the state of experiments performed by our group. I a lso discuss several new ideas for extending the magnetic reflector to confi ne atoms to a plane, a wire or a dot. These ideas aim at the general proble m of controlling atomic motion for use in atom optics. The two-dimensional gas provides a new system in which to study quantum statistical properties such as Bose-Einstein condensation and other phase transitions. The confine ment of cold atoms to wires and dots leads naturally towards the realizatio n of a quantum computer.