Electrostatic levitation under the single-axis feedback control condition

An electrostatic levitator with a single-axis feedback control system was developed on the basis of electric field analysis and optimum design for levitation electrodes. In order to realize the stable levitation of various types of materials such as metals, inorganic materials and polymers, we made both experimental and theoretical investigations to solve the four key problems of electric field optimization, sample position detecting, sample charging control and levitation voltage minimization. Under the capacitive induction charging condition, a sample with the size of 2.6-4.5 mm usually bears positive charges amounting to 10^-9 Coulomb. Because the single-axis feedback control system responds quickly, it takes the levitated sample only 0.1 s from leaving the bottom electrode until attaining a stable levitation in the upright direction. The levitated sample displays satisfactory levitation stability in both the upright and the horizontal directions owing to the constraining force produced by spherical electrodes.