Chinese researchers have developed a laser-based tractor beam capable of moving larger objects in the macroscopic range. This technology could potentially be used to move vehicles on Mars in the future. While physicists have been working on moving small objects with light for some time, previous attempts have only been successful in the microscopic range. However, researchers at Qingdao University of Science and Technology in China have developed a tractor beam that can move larger objects in the macroscopic range, according to a publication in the journal Optics Express. The researchers were able to achieve this by increasing the amplitude of the light attraction force.
In the lab, the researchers were able to use the laser tractor beam to attract a five-centimeter pendulum. The laser was directed at the pendulum, causing it to move towards the light. The researchers found that the attraction force was more than three orders of magnitude greater than the light pressure. The laser beam is also repeatable, and the force can be adjusted by changing the laser power. While the current tractor beam is only capable of moving small objects under limited conditions in the lab, the researchers believe that it could potentially be used to move vehicles or aircraft on Mars in the future.
The tractor beam works by creating a temperature difference in a graphene-silicon oxide composite structure. When the laser is directed at the structure, the backside becomes hotter than the side facing the laser. This causes the gas molecules on the backside to gain more energy and rotate towards the laser, creating an attraction force. While the effect only occurs in a low-pressure noble gas atmosphere, similar to the conditions on Mars, the researchers believe that their technology could be useful for various scientific experiments and potentially for moving vehicles on the Red Planet.
