A trapping position 30 is defined on a substrate 1, and an electrode
pattern 2 is formed on the substrate 1, having a first pair of electrodes
21 including electrodes 22 and 23 formed at positions opposite each other
with the trapping position 30 placed therebetween along a diagonal
x-axis, and a second pair of electrodes 26 including electrodes 27 and 28
formed at positions opposite each other with the trapping position 30
placed therebetween along a y-axis orthogonal to the x-axis. The atomic
device alternately switches between a first state and a second state to
trap a neutral atom at the trapping position 30; in the first state, the
electrode 22 of the first pair of electrodes 21 is set at a positive
potential +V.sub.0 with respect to a reference potential and the
electrode 23 is set at a negative potential -V.sub.0, and in the second
state, the electrode 27 of the second pair of electrodes 26 is set at the
positive potential +V.sub.0 and the electrode 28 is set at the negative
potential -V.sub.0. This allows for realizing an atomic device which can
facilitate integration of atomic circuits and reduce disturbances or the
like.