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A research team including Professor Yang Hao from the Centre for Electronics at Queen Mary University of London has developed a groundbreaking approach to stable electrostatic levitation; a long-standing challenge in physics and engineering. The study, published in Advanced Science: Smart Structures (Wiley, 2025), introduces a new class of conformal metasurfaces with negative polarizability that can levitate small objects using only static electric fields.

The paper, titled "Stable Electrostatic Levitation Using Conformal Metasurfaces with Negative Polarizability," presents a theoretical framework for achieving levitation through specially designed metasurfaces—ultra-thin, engineered materials that control electric and magnetic fields at the nanoscale. By tailoring these metasurfaces to have a negative electrostatic response, the researchers demonstrate how an object can be stably suspended in mid-air without magnetic fields, acoustic waves, or mechanical support.

This approach represents a new frontier in non-contact manipulation, offering the potential for cleaner, frictionless, and energy-efficient systems. Possible applications include precision manufacturing, micro-robotics, biomedical devices, and vibration-free environments for sensitive instruments.

Professor Hao explained the significance of the work:

"Stable levitation using electrostatics has been considered impossible for more than a century. Our study shows that by engineering materials at the microscopic level, we can overcome that limitation and open entirely new directions for smart surfaces and advanced device design."

The research not only advances fundamental electromagnetic theory but also showcases the transformative potential of metasurface engineering; an area where Queen Mary continues to play a leading international role.

Read the paper here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sstr.202500335