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Science 20 January 1989:
Vol. 243. no. 4889, pp. 349 - 355
DOI: 10.1126/science.243.4889.349
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Articles

Levitation in Physics

E. H. BRANDT 1

1 Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Institut für Physik, D7000 Stuttgart 80, Federal Republic of Germany.

Several physical effects allow free floatation of solid and even liquid matter. Materials may be levitated by a jet of gas, by intense sound waves, or by beams of laser light. In addition, conductors levitate in strong radio-frequency fields, charged particles in alternating electric fields, and magnets above superconductors or vice versa. Although levitation by means of ferromagnets is unstable, supper-conductors may be suspended both above and below a magnet as a result of flux pinning. Levitation is used for containerless processing and investigation of materials, for frictionless bearings and high-speed ground transportation, for spectroscopy of single atoms and microparticles, and for demonstrating superconductivity in the new oxide superconductors.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)