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Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam
An anonymous reader writes: Physicists at Australian National University have developed a tiny tractor beam that improves in several ways upon previous attempts. First, it operates on scales which, while still tiny, are higher than in earlier experiments. The beam can move particles up to 200 microns in diameter, and it can do so over a distance of 20 cm. "Unlike previous techniques, which used photon momentum to impart motion, the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them (abstract). The ANU team demonstrated the effect on gold-coated hollow glass particles. The particles are trapped in the dark center of the beam. Energy from the laser hits the particle and travels across its surface, where it is absorbed creating hotspots on the surface. Air particles colliding with the hotspots heat up and shoot away from the surface, which causes the particle to recoil, in the opposite direction. To manipulate the particle, the team move the position of the hotspot by carefully controlling the polarization of the laser beam."
There is still a long way to go before we can use it to move a Ferenghi vessel or to fight off the Borg. We ought to make this a national priority. If you think the Ebola thing is scary, the Borg makes viruses look like sheer child's play.
...the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them.
Oh, boy. It cooks you as it moves you.
Sounds like a great formula for a space rotisserie.
All the better to keep the ugly sheelas away with eh? Chuck another shrimp on the barbee skip!!!
Bugger me, another flaming mongrel is trying to speak 'strayan but using shrimp instead of prawn...
Get the tractor beam warmed up Bazza. I'll move the Camira so we can get to the Torana so we can get the Commo out of the shed. I'm pissed as buggery now.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
"Unlike previous techniques, which used photon momentum to impart motion, the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them
Need I say more?
Lets learn to speak the language, shall we?
Tractor's pull. A tractor beam would pull. This pushes. It can't pull. This means its not a reversible tractor beam, which would mean it can pull and be reversed to push ... it can only push.
Its a pusher beam, and it only works in a fluid, on objects with tiny amounts of mass that can stand to be roasted into oblivion in order to move them less than distance of a reasonable sized dictionary.
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