On the horizontal wobbling of an object levitated by near-field acoustic levitation

A circular planar object can be levitated with several hundreds of microns by ultrasonic near-field acoustic levitation (NFAL). However, when both the sound source and the levitated object are circularly shaped and the center of the levitated object does not coincide with the source center, instability problem often occurs. When this happens, it becomes difficult to pick up or transport the object for the next process. In this study, when the center of the levitated object was offset from the source center, the moving direction of the levitated object was predicted by using the time averaged potential around the levitated object. The wobbling frequency of the levitated object was calculated by analyzing the nonlinear wobbling motion of the object. It was shown that the predicted wobbling frequencies agreed with measured ones well. Finally, a safe zone was suggested to avoid the unstable movement of an object.     

Plate-shaped non-contact ultrasonic transporter using flexural vibration

We developed a plate-shaped non-contact transporter based on ultrasonic vibration, exploiting a phenomenon that a plate can be statically levitated at the place where its gravity and the acoustic radiation force are balanced. In the experiment, four piezoelectric zirconate titanate elements were attached to aluminum plates, on which lattice flexural vibration was excited at 22.3 kHz. The vibrating plates were connected to a loading plate via flexible posts that can minimize the influence of the flexure induced by heavy loads. The distribution of the vibration displacement on the plate was predicted through finite-element analysis to find the appropriate positions of the posts. The maximum levitation height of this transporter was 256 μm with no load. When two vibrating plates were connected to a loading plate, the maximum transportable load was 4.0 kgf.     

Acoustic levitation and its application in estimation of high power sound field

Acoustic levitation has been studied using airborne radiation from a high power magnetostrictive ferrite transducer of frequency 18 kHz. Spherical solid objects as well as liquid drops of varying weight and radii have been levitated under I G at the velocity antinodes of the standing waves formed with the help of a reflector. The dependence of the maximum weight of a spherical object that can be levitated on the sound pressure level and the radius of the obstacle has been studied. An attempt has been made to estimate the radiated high power sound intensity from the maximum weight of the spherical object that can be levitated.     

Theoretical and experimental examination of near-field acoustic levitation

A planar object can be levitated stably close to a piston sound source by making use of acoustic radiation pressure. This phenomenon is called near-field acoustic levitation [Y. Hashimoto et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 100, 2057-2061 (1996)]. In the present article, the levitation distance is predicted theoretically by numerically solving basic equations in a compressible viscous fluid subject to the appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Additionally, experiments are carried out using a 19.5-kHz piston source with a 40-mm aperture and various aluminum disks of different sizes. The measured levitation distance agrees well with the theory, which is different from a conventional theory, and the levitation distance is not inversely proportional to the square root of the surface density of the levitated disk in a strict sense.     

Non-contact transportation using near-field acoustic levitation

Near-field acoustic levitation, where planar objects 10 kg in weight can levitate stably near the vibrating plate, is successfully applied both to non-contact transportation of objects and to a non-contact ultrasonic motor. Transporting apparatuses and an ultrasonic motor have been fabricated and their characteristics measured. The theory of near-field acoustic levitation both for a piston-like sound source and a flexural vibration source is also briefly described.     

Contactless transport of matter in the first five resonance modes of a line-focused acoustic manipulator

The first five resonance modes for transport of matter in a line-focused acoustic levitation system are investigated. Contactless transport was achieved by varying the height between the radiating plate and the reflector. Transport and levitation of droplets in particular involve two limits of the acoustic forces. The lower limit corresponds to the minimum force required to overcome the gravitational force. The upper limit corresponds to the maximum acoustic pressure beyond which atomization of the droplet occurs. As the droplet size increases, the lower limit increases and the upper limit decreases. Therefore to have large droplets levitated, relatively flat radiation pressure amplitude during the translation is needed. In this study, using a finite element model, the Gor'kov potential was calculated for different heights between the reflector and the radiating plate. The application of the Gor'kov potential was extended to study the range of droplet sizes for which the droplets can be levitated and transported without atomization. It was found that the third resonant mode (H(3)-mode) represents the best compromise between high levitation force and smooth pattern transition, and water droplets of millimeter radius can be levitated and transported. The H(3)-mode also allows for three translation lines in parallel.     

Excessive levitation for the efficient loading of large-volume optical dipole traps

We study the excessive levitation effect in the magnetically levitated loading process of ultracold Cs atoms into a large-volume crossed optical dipole trap. We analyze the motion of atoms with a non-zero combined gravito-magnetic force during the loading, where the magnetically levitated force catches up with and surpasses the gravity. We present the theoretical variations of both acceleration and velocity with levitation time and magnetic field gradient. We measure the evolution of the number of trapped atoms with the excessive levitation time at different magnetic field gradients. The dependence of the number of atoms on the magnetic field gradient is also measured for different excessive levitation times.The theoretical analysis shows reasonable agreement with the experimental results. Our investigation illustrates that the excessive levitation can be used to reduce the heating effect of atoms in the magnetically levitated loading process, and to improve the loading rate of a large-volume optical dipole trap.     

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVITATION PROCESSING

Electromagnetic levitation has developed from a pure physical phenomenon into a practical containerless processing technique in the fields of both applied physics and materials science. In order to obtain a better understanding of this processing technique, two typical levitation coils were designed and the physical characteristics in levitation droplets suspended in these two coils, such as electromangetic field, levitation force field, total levitation force, and power absorption, were analyzed numerically and calculated in this paper. It was found that the eddy current density, together with the magnetic flux density and levitation force density, increases rapidly with radius as it approaches sample surface. The maximum levitation force produced by coil A is larger than that of coil B, whereas the levitated sample can obtain less power absorption at the equilibrium position in the former coil than that in the latter one. Moreover, the calculated results also demonstrated that the levitation ability decreases as the atomic number increases. The larger the material's electrical resistivity, the easier the samples can obtain more power absorption.     

Single-axis ultrasound levitation system with annular clamping forces

Based on the principle of acoustic levitation,a single-axis ultrasonic levitation system(SAULS) with convex sides was designed.A normal SAULS only provides a levitation force(LF) against the gravity of the sample.While,such systems also provide an annular clamping force(ACF) surrounding the levitated samples,and improve levitation stability of samples in the standing wave field.Using the finite-difference time-domain method,we investigated the force distributions in different resonance cavities and the factors that influence the magnitude of the levitation force in optimizing the SAULS and the ACF.The theoretical analyses and experimental results indicate that the stability of levitation in this special SAULS is improved with the ACF from its designed convex-side feature.It can be developed into a simple device in levitating and moving samples steadily in related experiments and applications.     

超声悬浮过程中圆柱体的旋转运动机理研究

研究了圆柱体在超声悬浮过程中的旋转运动机理.实验发现:悬浮圆柱体的密度和长径比越小,转动惯量越小,其稳态旋转的转速越大;反射端在水平方向的偏移会产生回复力矩,使圆柱体停止旋转,且圆柱体静止时的轴线方向与反射端偏移方向垂直;在圆柱体两端加入适当的外界干扰可以主动抑制其旋转.计算表明,悬浮圆柱体的旋转起源于其质心偏移产生的力矩,而反射端位置的偏移以及发射端的倾斜均会抑制圆柱体的旋转.     

具有环形限位夹持力的单轴式超声悬浮系统

基于超声悬浮原理,通过改变单轴式超声悬浮系统的反射和发射端的几何形状,利用凸状发射、反射面在悬浮区域周围产生环形声辐射力势阱作为限位夹持力,提高悬浮样品在驻波声场中的悬浮稳定性。基于时域有限差分法,研究不同谐振腔内的声辐射力分布,以及影响声辐射力大小的因素,优化环形限位夹持力和悬浮力。理论及实验研究结果表明,具有环形限位夹持力的超声悬浮系统可以提高普通单轴式超声悬浮装置对悬浮样品的稳定性。      

Optical levitation and manipulation of stuck particles with pulsed optical tweezers

We report on optical levitation and manipulation of microscopic particles that are stuck on a glass surface with pulsed optical tweezers. An infrared pulse laser at 1.06 microm was used to generate a large gradient force (up to 10(-9) N) within a short duration (approximately 45 micros) that overcomes the adhesive interaction between the particles and the glass surface. Then a low-power continuous-wave diode laser at 785 nm was used to capture and manipulate the levitated particle. We have demonstrated that both stuck dielectric and biological micrometer-sized particles, including polystyrene beads, yeast cells, and Bacillus cereus bacteria, can be levitated and manipulated with this technique. We measured the single-pulse levitation efficiency for 2.0 microm polystyrene beads as a function of the pulse energy and of the axial displacement from the stuck particle to the pulsed laser focus, which was as high as 88%.     

Levitation force relaxation under reloading in a HTS Maglev system

The loading capacity of the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) Maglev vehicle is an important parameter in the practical application. It is closely related to the levitation force of the HTS bulk. Many papers reported that the levitation force showed the relaxation characteristic. Because different loads cause different levitation gaps and different applied magnetic fields, the levitation force relaxations under the different loads are not the same. In terms of cylindrical YBCO bulk levitated over the permanent magnetic guideway, the relationship between the levitation force relaxation and the reloading is investigated experimentally in this paper. The decrement, the decrement rate and the relaxation rate of the levitation force are calculated, respectively. This work might be helpful for studying the loading capacity of the HTS Maglev vehicle.     

Vibration and stability of a circular plate of unidirectionally varying thickness

An analysis is presented for the vibration and stability of an elastically restrained circular plate of unidirectionally varying thickness subjected to an in-plane force. For this purpose, the transverse deflection of a circular plate of variable thickness is written in a series of the deflection functions of a uniform circular plate without the action of a force. The dynamical energies of the plate are evaluated analytically, and the frequency equation of the plate is derived by the Ritz method. The analysis is applied to circular plates of unidirectionally tapered or stepped thickness; the natural frequencies and the divergence loads are calculated numerically, and the effects of the varying thickness and edge conditions on the vibration and stability are studied.     

抗磁性物质磁悬浮可行性分析及实现

从理论和实验上说明石墨、铜等抗磁性的"非磁"物质在磁场中也受到磁场的作用力.实验中尝试了各种不同类型的永磁体序列,并利用4块一组的永磁铁序列产生梯度场,使磁铁表面上方产生可供抗磁性物质悬浮的稳定区域,成功实现了石墨的悬浮.此外,还利用顺磁性溶液及电磁铁实现了氧化铝和硅的悬浮.     

垂向磁场变化量对高温超导块材悬浮力特性的影响

高温超导体因其无源自稳定的特性,受到许多学者的重视,具有广阔的应用前景.目前针对高温超导块材悬浮性能的研究主要集中于由永磁体产生的低磁场环境.本文基于超导磁体平台提供的强磁场环境,通过改变高温超导块材不同的场冷高度,实验研究了高温超导块材悬浮力与垂向磁场变化量的关系.研究结果表明随着垂向磁场变化量的增加,高温超导块材的悬浮力增长趋缓,并最终出现悬浮力饱和的现象.本文还对比了YBCO 和Gd-BCO 两种不同材料超导块材的悬浮性能,结果发现GdBCO 的悬浮力在强磁场环境中表现出更大的潜力.这为高温超导磁浮在强磁场中的应用奠定了基础,通过更加合理地调节磁场的分布,可以更好地发挥高温超导块材的悬浮性能潜力     

Optical levitation of absorbing particles with a nominally Gaussian laser beam

We use a Gaussian laser beam to study the levitation of absorbing Mie particles. Several metal oxide particles are stably levitated, and their movement over time is recorded. Our studies show that the position of each particle is highly dependent on the other particles' locations. The observations are explained by the phenomenon of thermal creep. The increased local pressure that is due to a temperature gradient along the particle's surface induces levitation. The particles rest close to minima in the intensity distribution near the optical axis. An experiment is suggested that can be used to locate these minima in a laser beam.     

Transverse Vibration and Stability Analysis of Circular Plate Subjected to Follower Force and Thermal Load

Transverse vibration and stability analysis of circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load are analyzed . B ased on the thin plate theory in involving the variable temperature, the differential equation of transverse vibration for the axisymmetric circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load is established. Then, the differential equation of vibration and corresponding boundary conditions are discretized by the differential quadrature method. Meanwhile, the generalized eigenvalue under three different boundary conditions are calculated. In this case, the change curve of the first order dimensionless complex frequency of the circular plate subjected to the follower force in the different conditions with the variable temperature coefficient and temperature load is analyzed. The stability and corresponding critical loads of the circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load with simply supported edge, clamped edge and free edge are discussed. The results provide theoretical basis for improving the dynamic stability of the circular plate.     

Vibration measurement by vibrating-plate holograms

If a hologram of a vibrating object is recorded on a photographic plate which vibrates synchronously with the object, the reconstructed image produces equi-amplitude fringes of the object vibration, the amplitude of which is reduced by a constant determined from the amplitude of the plate vibration. This phenomenon can be used as a method to extend the measurable range of vibration amplitudes, and some experimental results are shown.     

Floating synthesis with enhanced catalytic performance via acoustic levitation processing

Acoustic levitation supplies a containerless state to eliminate natural convection and heterogeneous crystal nucleation and thus provides a highly uniform and ultra clean condition in the confined levitating area. Herein, we attempt to make full use of these advantages to fabricate well dispersed metal nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles, synthesized in an acoustically levitated droplet, exhibited a smaller size and improved catalytic performance in 4-nitrophenol reduction were synthesized in an acoustically levitated droplet. The sound field was simulated to understand the impact of acoustic levitation on gold nanoparticle growth with the aid of crystal growth theory. Chemical reducing reactions in the acoustic levitated space trend to occur in a better dispersed state because the sound field supplies continuous vibration energy. The bubble movement and the cavitation effect accelerate the nucleation, decrease the size, and the internal flow inside levitated droplet probably inhibit the particle fusion in the growth stage. These factors lead to a reduction in particle size compared with the normal wet chemical synthetic condition. The resultant higher surface area and more numerous active catalytic sites contribute to the improvement of the catalytic performance.