ELECTROSTATIC LEVITATION FURNACE

摘要

ELECTROSTATIC LEVITATION FURNACE An electrostatic levitation furnace is used for production of microgravity material in space. The furnace comprises a rotary elliptical mirror having a reflection surface of a rotary elliptical body at the inside; a plasma lamp disposed at a first focal point of the rotary elliptical mirror; a member for supporting the plasma lamp; an electric wave shielding plate of a disc type attached adjacent to the first focal point of the rotary elliptical mirror in such a manner that the circumferential edge of the plate is in contact with the inner surface of the mirror; a cavity resonator defined by the rotary elliptical mirror and the electric wave shielding plate, and adapted to accommodate the plasma lamp: a high frequency generator for supplying a high frequency current to the cavity resonator: a test sample disposed at a second focal point of the rotary elliptical mirror: transparent electrodes disposed in the rotary elliptical mirror for providing an electric field allowing the test sample to be levitated: a high potential power source connected to the transparent electrodes: a position detector disposed opposedly to the test sample for detecting the position thereof; a control circuit connected to the position detector and the high potential power source for controlling an output level of the high potential power source in response to the detected position of the test sample; and a silica tube for accommodating the test sample.