We present a laser beam shaping method using acousto-optic deflection oflight and discuss its application to dipole trapping of ultracold atoms. Bydriving the acousto-optic deflector with multiple frequencies, we generate anarray of overlapping diffraction-limited beams that combine to form anarbitrary-shaped smooth and continuous trapping potential. Confinement of atomsin a flat-bottomed potential formed by a laser beam with uniform intensity overits central region confers numerous advantages over the harmonic confinementintrinsic to Gaussian beam dipole traps and many other trapping schemes.Wedemonstrate the versatility of this beam shaping method by generatingpotentials with large flat-topped regions as well as intensity patternscompensating for residual external potentials to create a uniform background towhich the trapping potential of experimental interest can be added.
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