Miniaturizing atom optics: from wires to atom chips

A large variety of trapping and guiding potentials can be designed by bringing cold atoms close to charged or current carrying material objects, which allows for miniaturization and integration of atom optical elements. Surfaces holding such structures form Atom Chips which, for coherent matter wave optics, may form the basis for a variety of novel applications and research tools, similar to what integrated circuits are for electronics. We describe the basic principles of constructing such microscopic traps and guides, how to load atoms into them, and give examples of Atom Chip experiments.