Using the energy of an array of LEDs in a vacuum chamber, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have managed to make two small plastic plates oscillate using nothing but light.
Scientists had previously used the same physical phenomenon to float invisible aerosols in microfluidic devices. To levitate an object large enough that it had never been possible before: this is why the study, published in Science Advances, is a real turning point.
Science grappling with the “flying carpet”
The researchers managed to levitate thin sheets of Mylar, each as wide as the diameter of a pencil, using nothing more than light energy. The result, as mentioned, was achieved through the energy of LED lights which heated the base of the discs. The air particles beneath the plastic were energized to the point that they lost friction with the air, and simply drifted with the wind.
This almost “flying carpet” concept might sound rather abstract. In reality, this technology could already have several applications. One of all, the study of the mesosphere. This region of our atmosphere lies between 50 and 85 kilometers above our heads, and is quite difficult to study since we don't have access to it. And then levitating these plastic discs could take us much further: to Mars.
The pressure on the red planet is indeed similar to the earth's mesosphere. A good ground for comparison, therefore.
Today levitating plastic discs: tomorrow who knows
With the first flight test photophoretic stable achieved, researchers now have an accompanying theoretical model that can simulate the behavior of different flying plates in the atmosphere. Using these technologies, researchers are now evaluating the development of a flight system capable of carrying small sensors into the mesosphere by flying them only powered by light.
Current modeling indicates that a suspended plate levitated in this way could rise as much as 80 kilometers with a load the size of a sensor. Of course, the idea is quite in its early stages. The researchers say there are many weather challenges to overcome before implementing an effective solution.
