Device and method for electrostatically levitating a disk and method for using an electrostatic levitated disk as a sensor

A method of levitating a disk, comprising:

• applying a first plurality of voltages to three pairs of electrodes, each pair of electrodes including a top electrode and a bottom electrode, each top electrode situated above the disk and each bottom electrode situated below the disk, each top electrode situated opposite the bottom electrode of the pair of electrodes, the three top electrodes situated equidistantly around a top circle, the three bottom electrodes situated equidistantly around a bottom circle;
• applying a second plurality of voltages to two bottom reference electrodes situated below the disk, a first bottom reference electrode forming a bottom inner circle radially inwards of the set of three bottom electrodes, a second bottom reference electrode forming a bottom outer circle radially outwards of the set of three bottom electrodes;
• and
• applying a third plurality of voltages to two top reference electrodes situated above the disk, a first top reference electrode forming a top inner circle radially inwards of the set of three top electrodes, a second top reference electrode forming a top outer circle radially outwards of the set of three top electrodes.

A system, comprising:

• a disk including at least one of a dielectric material and a semiconductor material, the disk about planar and about circular;
• a first electrode situated below the disk;
• a second electrode situated above the disk and opposite the first electrode;
• a third electrode situated below the disk;
• a fourth electrode situated above the disk and opposite the third electrode;
• a fifth electrode situated below the disk and forming a bottom circle with the first electrode and the third electrode, the first electrode, the third electrode, and the fifth electrode situated equidistantly around the bottom circle;
• a sixth electrode situated above the disk and opposite the fifth electrode and forming a top circle with the second electrode and the fourth electrode, the second electrode, the fourth electrode, and the sixth electrode situated equidistantly around the top circle;
• a bottom outer reference electrode situated below the disk and forming a bottom outer circle radially outwards from the bottom circle;
• a bottom inner reference electrode situated below the disk and forming a bottom outer circle radially inwards from the bottom circle;
• a top outer reference electrode situated above the disk and forming a top outer circle radially outwards from the top circle;
• a top inner reference electrode situated above the disk and forming a top outer circle radially inwards from the top circle;
• and
• at least one drive circuit electrically coupled to at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, the fifth electrode, and the sixth electrode, the at least one drive circuit applying a plurality of voltages.