Abstract: This thesis reports a successful testing of a procedure for the construction of a high-finesse monolithic glass bowtie cavity using hydroxide catalysis bonding. The design of the cavity is optimized for use in optical dipole trapping of ultracold atoms. The all-glass design is especially suited for experiments that include  rapidly changing magnetic field, such as those employing Feshbach resonances. These all-glass hydroxide caltalysis bonded cavities are ultra high vacuum compatible and survive moderate bakeout temperatures required to reach ultra low pressures. 

    

    We developed a set of alignment procedures and mechanical jigs for the purposes of precisely aligning a symmetric bowtie cavity. The alignment procedures and jigs guarantee a minimal degree of cavity twist and maximize overlap at the beam crossing point. A prototype cavity constructed using these procedures was measured to have a 

beam overlap within the tolerances necessary to generate an effective crossed beam dipole trap.