Laser Driven Levitating Graphite

Dec-29-12 A method of manipulating levitating objects with light could lead to a new generation of maglev transportation systems and more efficient solar-powered generators.

A team of researchers in Japan created the device by placing a piece of graphite on top of a set of magnets arranged in a grid. Exposing the graphite to an external magnet field causes the graphite to generate its own field, which then makes it levitate when placed on top of permanent magnets. To control the direction of the graphite, the researchers hit it with a laser, causing part of the graphite to heat up and thereby changing its susceptibility to the magnetic field.

The team also discovered that putting the graphite disc on top of a stack of cylindrical magnets and hitting the edge of it with the laser beam (or sunlight) caused the disc to spin at 200 rpm. This new method of creating mechanical motion could lead to a generator that can be powered directly, rather than relying on steam or conversion to DC current.

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