Laser-induced condensation of trapped bosonic gases

We consider collective laser cooling of atomic gas in the festina lente regime, when the heating effects associated with photon re-absorption are suppressed. We demonstrate that an appropriate sequence of laser pulses allows us to condense a gas of trapped bosonic atoms into the ground level of the trap in the presence of collisions. Such condensation is robust and can be achieved in experimentally feasible traps. We extend significantly the validity of our previous numerical studies, and present new analytic results concerning condensation in the limit of rapid thermalization. We discuss in detail necessary conditions to realize an all-optical condensate in the weak-condensation regime and beyond. (author)