Atomic beam focusing with a curved magnetic mirror

Reflective atom optics has been experimentally realized with a continuous flux of cold atoms by using a magnetized videotape. We have studied the behaviour of a slow atomic beam with a velocity of 20 m s(-1) incident at different angles on the surface of a curved magnetic mirror. Focusing of the beam has been demonstrated and this induces an amplification up to a factor 3 of the fluorescence emitted by the atoms around the focal point. We deduced the shape of our reflector from the focal length measurements and show that the result is completely consistent with those obtained from the reflection of a red diode laser beam on the curved mirror