Stabilization and oscillation of an acoustically levitated object

US4773266A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Martin B. Barmatz · La Cañada Flintridge, US
• Steven L. Garrett · State College, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 20, 1987
• Grant date: Sep 27, 1988
• Expiry date: Aug 20, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10K15/00
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

Methods are described for rapidly damping oscillation of an acoustically levitated object or for causing and maintaining such oscillations, and a method is provided for determining the restoring force constant K on the levitated object by measuring its frequency of oscillation. Oscillations of a levitated object are damped by applying levitating acoustic energy at a frequency slightly less than the center resonant frequency. Oscillations are maintained by applying acoustic energy slightly greater than the center resonant frequency. The restoring force constant of the levitation force is proportional to square of the frequency of oscillation of the object.