Aerodynamic levitation

However, more recently this term has also been associated with a scientific technique which uses a cone-shaped nozzle allowing stable levitation of 1-3mm diameter spherical samples without the need for active control mechanisms.

Combining this with >200W continuous CO2 laser heating allows sample temperatures in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius to be achieved.

When heating materials to these extremely high temperatures levitation in general provides two key advantages over traditional furnaces.

Levitation techniques typically allow samples to be cooled several hundred degrees Celsius below their equilibrium freezing temperatures.

The following measurements can be made with varying precision: electrical conductivity, viscosity,[5] density, surface tension,[6] specific heat capacity, In situ aerodynamic levitation has also been combined with: X-ray synchrotron radiation, neutron scattering, NMR spectroscopy