About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Thin Films and Coatings: Properties, Processing and Applications
|
| Presentation Title |
Mechanically Stable and Ultra-light Photophoretic Flight Integrated Milligram-scale Payload for Mesospheric Exploration |
| Author(s) |
Gyeong-Seok Hwang, Benjamin C. Schafer, Jong-hyoung Kim, Joost J. Vlassak |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Gyeong-Seok Hwang |
| Abstract Scope |
In the free-molecular regime, a rarefied gas interacting with a heated thin film can generate a net force to levitate ultra-light structures. Previous studies achieved thermal transpiration-driven lift by integrating light-absorbing layers with perforated substrates, enabling photophoretic levitation near mesospheric altitudes. However, the forces generated under natural sunlight remain insufficient. We previously introduced ultra-light yet stiff nanocardboard structures that enhance the lofting force-to-density ratio. Here, we present a mechanically robust integration method for milligram-scale payloads on hundreds of nanometer-thick freestanding thin films using standard wire bonding. Guided by thin film mechanics, this approach ensures structural stability without compromising lift efficiency. We demonstrate centimeter-scale sample levitation under the light intensity of natural sunlight and evaluate system scalability using advanced nanofabrication techniques. This work opens a pathway toward practical photophoretic flight platforms driven by solar radiation, with broad implications for high-altitude sensing and thin-film-enabled flight without mechanical propulsion. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Thin Films and Interfaces, Mechanical Properties, Modeling and Simulation |