A tiny magnetic ball floats in mid-air on a standard computer chip without using any power.
High-precision levitation is usually a massive undertaking that requires freezing temperatures, high-powered lasers, or bulky magnets. This new platform miniaturizes the entire setup onto a single silicon chip that works on a desk without any cooling. The system uses a specific arrangement of magnets to keep a ferromagnetic sphere perfectly stable while it hovers. This setup is incredibly sensitive to external forces, making it a perfect sensor for detecting tiny changes in gravity or motion. It brings laboratory-grade precision to a portable scale, which could lead to ultra-sensitive navigation systems that do not rely on GPS.
On-chip levitation of ferromagnetic microparticles
arXiv · 2605.00090
Levitation of microscopic objects in vacuum combines exceptional environmental isolation with precise control of their dynamics, pushing the limits of sensing and macroscopic quantum physics. In particular, magnetic levitation allows a large range of particle sizes, while avoiding detrimental effects from high-intensity optical trapping beams and electric field noise. However, existing diamagnetic and Meissner levitation approaches are typically constrained by low mechanical eigenfrequencies, li