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Highly stable diamagnetically levitated mechanical resonators with large masses exceeding 1.5 gram
Pooja Roy1, Samira Yasmin1, Yunong Wang2
1Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Engineering & Computer Science University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
|March 5, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed levitated resonant systems using diamagnetic levitation for precision sensing. These systems achieve high quality factors and exceptional frequency stability at room temperature, paving the way for advanced sensors.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Clamping loss and eddy current damping limit the performance of traditional resonant mechanical systems.
- Achieving high quality factors and frequency stability at room temperature is crucial for precision sensing applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present novel resonant mechanical systems utilizing diamagnetic levitation.
- To demonstrate stable levitation and high quality factors in graphite composite plates at room temperature.
- To explore the potential of these systems for precision sensing and as magnetometers.
Main Methods:
- Engineering centimeter-scale composite plates with graphite microparticles in epoxy.
- Levitating composite plates above arrays of permanent magnets.
- Conducting simulations and experimental measurements for stability and performance analysis.
- Utilizing phase-locked loop for closed-loop frequency tracking and residual velocity measurements.
Main Results:
- Achieved stable, full diamagnetic levitation of composite devices exceeding 1.5 grams.
- Demonstrated stable three-dimensional trapping of the levitated plates.
- Reached quality factors over 32,000 in moderate vacuum (∼25 µTorr) at room temperature.
- Observed near-zero passive motion and exceptional frequency stability (Allan deviation down to 1.5 × 10-6 at 20 s).
- Showcased the devices' capability to function as sensitive magnetometers.
Conclusions:
- Levitated graphite composite plates offer a scalable, low-dissipation platform for high-performance resonant systems.
- Diamagnetic levitation effectively eliminates clamping loss and enhances quality factors.
- These systems represent a promising candidate for next-generation inertial sensors and precision measurement devices.
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