Bose-Einstein condensates near a microfabricated surface
  Magnetically and optically confined Bose-Einstein condensates were studied near a microfabricated surface. Condensate fragmentation observed in microfabricated magnetic traps was not observed in optical dipole traps at the same location. The measured condensate lifetime was $\geq 20$ s and independent of the atom-surface separation under both magnetic and optical confinement. Radio-frequency spin-flip transitions driven by technical noise were directly observed for optically confined condensates and could limit the condensate lifetime in microfabricated magnetic traps. 
A.E. Leanhardt, Y. Shin, A.P. Chikkatur, D. Kielpinski, W. Ketterle,   D.E. Pritchard