Watch: Scientists use sound waves to guide electricity through air
By DE Staff
Electronics MaterialsResearchers from Spain, Finland and Canada have shown for the first time that electric sparks can be guided using ultrasonic waves.
The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates how sound fields can steer electric discharges around obstacles and even into non-conductive materials, eliminating the chaotic, unpredictable nature of conventional sparks.
“We observed this phenomenon more than one year ago, then it took us months to control it, and even longer to find an explanation,” said Dr. Asier Marzo, lead researcher from the Public University of Navarre (UPNA).
Electric sparks are widely used in welding, electronics, sterilization and fuel ignition, but controlling them in open space has always been challenging. Sparks naturally seek out the closest conductive surface, creating chaotic, branching paths. But in this study, researchers successfully used ultrasonic waves to direct a 4-cm-long electric spark around an obstacle.
Watch it in action:
The technique works because sparks heat up the air, causing it to expand and reduce in density. The researchers discovered that ultrasonic waves could guide this heated, low-density air to specific regions, creating a path for the next sparks to follow. This method allows for precise steering of electricity through the air, much like an invisible wire.
“Precise control of sparks allows their utilization in a wide variety of applications, such as atmospheric sciences, biological procedures and selective powering of circuits,” said Prof. Ari Salmi from the University of Helsinki.
Until now, guiding electric sparks required laser-induced discharges—or electrolasers—which involve dangerous high-energy lasers and precise synchronization between the laser and the spark. In contrast, the new ultrasound-based technique is compact, affordable, and safe for human eyes and skin, making it a more practical and accessible solution.
The breakthrough was achieved through a collaboration between the Public University of Navarre (UPNA), the University of Helsinki and the University of Waterloo.
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