Deterministic source and transportation for single atoms

Summary form only given. Quantum control of the interaction of stored atomic particles and electromagnetic fields is considered a prime route towards quantum information processing. In an experimental realization it is necessary to achieve full control of all degrees of freedom of the physical system under study. Especially the exact number of atoms or ions involved in such systems must be known. We have demonstrated a method which allows to use an exact number of stored neutral atoms in such experiments. Cesium atoms are trapped and cooled in a magneto-optical trap and subsequently transferred to an optical dipole trap derived from a focused Nd:YAG laser beam.