Frozen Puck Hovers Over Track Using “Quantum Levitation”

[bigross86]

Frozen Puck Hovers Over Track Using “Quantum Levitation”

By Olivia Solon, Wired UK

Researchers at the school of physics and astronomy at Tel Aviv University have created a track around which a semiconductor can float, thanks to the phenomenon of “quantum levitation“.


This levitation effect is explained by the Meissner effect, which describes how, when a material makes the transition from its normal to its superconducting state, it actively excludes magnetic fields from its interior, leaving only a thin layer on its surface.

When a material is in its superconducting state — which involves very low temperatures — it is strongly diamagnetic. This means that when a magnetic field is externally applied, it will create an equally opposing magnetic field, locking it in place.

A material called yttrium barium copper oxide can be turned into a superconductor by exposure to liquid nitrogen — which makes it one of the highest-temperature superconductors.

In the video it appears that a puck of yttrium barium copper oxide cooled by liquid nitrogen is repelling the magnets embedded on the handheld device. It also shows that the angle of the magnet can be locked in a magnetic field. Later in the video the puck can be seen to zoom round a circular track of magnets, in the same way that Maglev high-speed trains do.

[Laser]

Thanks Bigross- that was very COOL.:)

[bigross86]

I go to Tel Aviv University, but the closest I've ever been to astronomy/physics was when I was meeting a friend of mine there. It's all the way on the other side of campus

[dave lukins]

I go to Tel Aviv University, but the closest I've ever been to astronomy/physics was when I was meeting a friend of mine there. It's all the way on the other side of campus

Has there been any talks on what they can use this technology for on a large scale?

[Doktor]

To keep Magneto away?

[bigross86]

I have no idea. I've got a friend studying at the Technion in Haifa, I'll ask him, but this is way the hell out of my league. Maybe someone like Whiskey, Highsea or dalem might know

[Parihaka]

I smell a rat

[bigross86]

Why?

[Parihaka]

1: At 1.30 - 1.31 the puck stops without his hand.
2: If it's supercooled why wouldn't it burn his hand when he touched it?

[bigross86]

I dunno, Wired has a pretty good track record when it comes to this kind of stuff...

[USSWisconsin]

It could be used for bearings - but the liquid nitrogen cooling is a problem. It needs more development to be a commercial technology. These phenomenon are real - this demonstration may not be -bare handling supercooled stuff causes nasty burns...

[Chogy]

I've messed with stuff at those temperatures in the past. You can get away with very brief contact without a problem. Note that whenever he touches it, it's very crisp and fast. There's not enough time to get frostbite from it.

Some tricks you can try, and I've done them all - you can pour liquid nitrogen in a steady stream from a dewar onto your bare hand... you can immerse your fingers into liquid nitrogen for very short periods of time... the liquid nitrogen, where it contacts the skin, boils, and forms a gas envelope, keeping the liquid away from the skin. You can also handle dry ice with bare hands, so long as you juggle it like it is a hot potato. Keep it moving.

The best stupid party trick - take a piece of dry ice the size of a lima bean, or larger, pop it in your mouth. If you moisten it and move it constantly, it won't harm you, and your mouth will blow dry ice "smoke" rings. I stopped doing this when I once popped a piece of dry ice in my mouth and swallowed it. Thought I was going to die, but I drank a lot of water and literally danced around to keep the ice and water in contact, belched like crazy for a couple of minutes, and was unharmed.

Kids, don't try any of that at home! Very cool video, BTW.

[Chogy]

Another video, this one explains it a bit and is 5:00 long. Awesome! All we need is room temperature superconductors now.

The puck us made from a thin wafer of the superconductor, with an aluminum ring placed on top. These are covered in plastic wrap. This is immersed in liquid N2, and when they remove the assembly, the ring traps a supply of liquid N2. This is why these pucks emit puffs of "smoke" like a train. Without the N2 supply, the disc would warm up quickly and fall.

[omon]

nothing new, i heard about similar experiment in ussr when i was 15 or so.
it is possible, but extreamly not practical.

[gunnut]

Well, that could give a whole new way of playing "air" hockey.