Aerodynamic levitation is the use of gas pressure to levitate materials so that they are no longer in physical contact with any container. In scientific experiments this removes contamination and nucleation issues associated with physical contact with a container.

The term aerodynamic levitation could be applied to many objects that use gas pressure to counter the force of gravity, and allow stable levitation. Helicopters and air hockey pucks are two good examples of objects that are aerodynamically levitated. However, more recently this term has also been associated with a scientific technique which uses a cone-shaped nozzle allowing stable levitation of 1-3mm diameter spherical samples without the need for active control mechanisms.^[1]

These systems allow spherical samples to be levitated by passing gas up through a diverging conical nozzle. Combining this with >200W continuous CO₂ laser heating allows sample temperatures in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius to be achieved.

When heating materials to these extremely high temperatures levitation in general provides two key advantages over traditional furnaces. First, contamination that would otherwise occur from a solid container is eliminated. Second, the sample can be undercooled, i.e. cooled below its normal freezing temperature without actually freezing.

• Magnetic levitation
• Electrostatic levitation
• Optical levitation
• Acoustic levitation

• Price, D.L. (2010). High-Temperature Levitated Materials. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521880527.