CATHODE RAY TUBE

The cathode ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun (a source of electrons or electron emitter) and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictures (television, computer monitor), radar targets and others. CRTs have also been used as memory devices, in which case the visible light emitted from the fluorescent material (if any) is not intended to have significant meaning to a visual observer (though the visible pattern on the tube face may cryptically represent the stored data). The CRT uses an evacuated glass envelope which is large, deep (i.e. long from front screen face to rear end), fairly heavy, and relatively fragile. As a matter of safety, the face is typically made of thick lead glass so as to be highly shatterresistant and to block most X-ray emissions, particularly if the CRT is used in a consumer product. A cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube which consists of one or more electron guns, possibly internal electrostatic deflection plates, and a phosphor target. In television sets and computer monitors, the entire front area of the tube is scanned repetitively and systematically in a fixed pattern called a raster. An image is produced by controlling the intensity of each of the three electron beams, one for each additive primary color (red, green, and blue) with a video signal as a reference. In all modern CRT monitors and televisions, the beams are bent by magnetic deflection, a varying magnetic field generated by coils and driven by electronic circuits around the neck of the tube, although electrostatic deflection is commonly used in oscilloscopes, a type of diagnostic instrument. The experimentation of cathode rays is largely accredited to J. J. Thomson, an English physicist who, in his three famous experiments, was able to deflect cathode rays, a fundamental function of the modern CRT. The earliest version of the CRT was invented by the German physicist Ferdinand Braun in 1897 and is

also known as the Braun tube. It was a cold-cathode diode, a modification of the Crookes tube with a phosphor-coated screen. In 1907, Russian scientist Boris Rosing used a CRT in the receiving end of an experimental video signal to form a picture. He managed to display simple geometric shapes onto the screen, which marked the first time that CRT technology was used for what is now known as television. The first cathode ray tube to use a hot cathode was developed by John B. Johnson (who gave his name to the term Johnson noise) and Harry Weiner Weinhart of Western Electric, and became a commercial product in 1922 It was named by inventor Vladimir K. Zworykin in 1929. RCA was granted a trademark for the term (for its cathode ray tube) in 1932; it voluntarily released the term to the public domain in 1950.

A 14 inch cathode ray tube showing its deflection coils and electron guns Typical 1950s United States television set

The first commercially made electronic television sets with cathode ray tubes were manufactured by Telefunken in Germany in 1934,
Oscilloscope CRTs In oscilloscope CRTs, electrostatic deflection is used, rather than the magnetic deflection commonly used with television and other large CRTs. The beam is deflected horizontally by applying an electric field between a pair of plates to its left and right, and vertically by applying an electric field to plates above and below. Oscilloscopes use electrostatic rather than magnetic deflection because the inductive reactance of the magnetic coils would limit the frequency response of the instrument. Phosphor persistence Various phosphors are available depending upon the needs of the measurement or display application. The brightness, color, and persistence of the illumination depends upon the type of phosphor used on the CRT screen. Phosphors are available with persistences ranging from less than one microsecond to several seconds. For visual observation of brief transient events, a long persistence phosphor may be desirable. For events which are fast and repetitive, or high frequency, a short-persistence phosphor is generally preferable Microchannel plate When displaying fast one-shot events the electron beam must deflect very quickly, with few electrons impinging on the screen; leading to a faint or invisible image on the display. Oscilloscope CRTs designed for very fast signals can give a brighter display by passing the electron beam through a microchannel plate just before it reaches the screen. Through the phenomenon of secondary emission this plate multiplies the number of electrons reaching the phosphor screen, giving a significant improvement in writing rate (brightness), and improved sensitivity and spot size as well.

Graticules Most oscilloscopes have a graticule as part of the visual display, to facilitate measurements. The graticule may be permanently marked inside the face of the CRT, or it may be a transparent external plate made of glass or acrylic plastic. An internal graticule eliminates parallax error, but cannot be changed to accommodate different types of measurements.[15] Oscilloscopes commonly provide a means for the graticule to be illuminated from the side, which improves its visibility

Color CRTs

Spectra of constituent blue, green and red phosphors in a common CRT Color tubes use three different phosphors which emit red, green, and blue light respectively. They are packed together in stripes (as in aperture grille designs) or clusters called "triads" (as in shadow mask CRTs).[17] Color CRTs have three electron guns, one for each primary color, arranged either in a straight line or in an equilateral triangular configuration (the guns are usually constructed as a single unit). (The triangular configuration is often called "delta-gun", based on its relation to the shape of the Greek letter delta.) A grille or mask absorbs the electrons that would otherwise hit the wrong phosphor.[18] A shadow mask tube uses a metal plate with tiny holes, placed so that the electron beam only illuminates the correct phosphors on the face of the tube.[17] Another type of color CRT uses an aperture grille to achieve the same result.

CATHOD RAY TUBE (CRT)

A CRT is an electronic tube designed to display electrical data. The basic CRT consists of four major components. 1. 2. 3. 4. Electron Gun Focussing & Accelerating Anodes Horizontal & Vertical Deflection Plates Evacuated Glass Envelope

1. Electron Gun It is used for producing a strain of electrons 2. Focusing & Accelerating Anodes These are used for producing a narrow and sharply focus beam of electrons. 3. Horizontal and Vertical Deflection Plates These are used for controlling the path of the beam. 4. Evacuated Glass Envelope With a phosphorescent screen which produces bright spot when struck by a high velocity electron beam. The electron gun assembly consists of an indirectly heated cathode (K), a control grid (G), an accelerated anode A1, focusing anode A2 and accelerating anode A3 Working of CRT Heater element is energized by alternating current to obtain high emission of electron from cathode. Control grid is based negative with respect to cathode it controls the density of electron beam to focus the electron beam on the screen focusing anode is used. the focusing anode operate at a potential of twelve hundred (1200 V) and accelerating anode at 2000 V to accelerate the electron beam. The electron gun emits a beam of electrons which are focused to a point on the screen phosphor. The beam is positioned on the screen by a deflection system which operates in the horizontal and vertical directions. The intensity of the beam is controlled by the intensity signal on the control grid. When the phosphor is hit by the electron beam it absorbs energy and jumps to a higher quantum-energy level. As it returns to its normal level it emits visible light i.e. it phosphoresces. In the phosphors used in graphics devices the persistence of the phosphorescence is typically 10-60 microseconds.

Before the human visual system can see a transient image it must be continually redrawn (refreshed) at a rate higher than the critical fusion frequency of the human visual system. To allow the human visual system to see a continuously refreshed image without flicker the refresh rate has to be at least 60 c/s.

To allow continuous refreshing of an image there must be some stored representation of the image from which the refresh system can obtain the graphical information required to re-draw the image. This representation nowadays is invariably a set of values of Intensity / colour at each of a discrete set of points laid out in a rectangular array covering the screen.

While it may seem a disadvantage to continually refresh the image there are some very important advantages of such refresh type systems. For example it is possible to edit an image by changing the stored representation between refresh cycles for what appears to be instantaneous updating of the image. Compare this with some earlier systems in which the only way to carry out an edit was to clear the whole screen and then redraw the whole image. Also by changing the stored representation between refresh cycles animation is possible

Functions of a Cathode Ray Tube and its Applications

Parts of a CRT The features of a CRT can be split into 3 main sections: The electron gun, the deflection system and the fluorescent screen

Electron Gun

The role of this section is to produce electrons at a high, fixed, velocity. This is done through a process known as thermionic emission. o A filament in the cathode is heated to the point where its electrons become loose. o An anode with a high voltage applied to it accelerates the electrons towards the screen due to electrostatic attraction. o On the way, the electrons pass through a series of control grids which control the brightness of the image produced. The more negative the grid, the darker the image and vice versa.

Deflection system

The role of the deflection system is to control the image produced by controlling the position that the electrons hit the screen. It consists of Two PERPENDICULAR sets of Electric/Magnetic fields. o This allows control over both horizontal and vertical axes. o By controlling the Voltage applied to the fields, it is possible to vary the deflection through Electrostatic force/Motor effect.

Fluorescent screen

The role of this part is to display where the electrons are hitting the CRT. It is a screen coated with a material that emits light when struck by electrons. o Zinc sulfide or Phosphorus are two commonly used materials.

Applications Televisions

Before LCD or Plasma television, the CRT was used to create a moving image. It used the same principle as a CRT, and for Black and White televisions, that worked fine. o B&W TVs were essentially the same thing as a CRT, as all that's needed is the control of the brightness of the beam. A CRT TV works by having the electron beam "scan" the screen at an rate faster than our eyes can perceive. o This means that it shoots across the screen like a machine gun, and the images we see are actually made from many fluorescent dots. o The fluorescence caused by the beam striking the screen lasts a bit longer so that the next scan can be made without the previous image disappearing. o It scans twice each time, first filling in the odd "holes" then the even ones. o Each scan is about 1/50 of a second.

Colour CRT TVs had 3 electron guns rather than a single one, a shadow mask, and a modified fluorescent screen. The 3 electron guns were needed as there were three primary colours (Red, Green and Blue) that could be adjusted in different amounts to create any colour.

The colours are formed as a result of the shadow mask, which is a layer with holes in it that controls the angle of the incoming electron beams. o This is because the fluorescent screen is separated into multicoloured phosphors that are placed adjacent to each other at small intervals. o Thus it isn't actually a single coloured pixel, but rather 3 very small pixels that join together to form a larger dot.

Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes

A Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO) is a diagnostic device that allows one to "see" voltage. It is essential a Cathode Ray Tube with two perpendicular sets of deflecting electric plates. The vertical set is where an input voltage is plugged in for the oscilloscope to display. However, the horizontal set is connected to a "sweep generator" o This is what provides a constant, but adjustable, timebase for the sweeping. o It essentially creates a "sawtooth voltage."

This is what causes the image to be animated, and measured with a linear scale.

Advantages Since resolution is not defined at the outset, high-resolution images can be displayed with no problem. Users of PC home cinema can take full advantage of their graphics cards and get an image of excellent quality. The blacks are beyond reproach, and the images are fluid and precise - in fact, very close to what cinema provides. Disadvantages Tri-tube projectors are heavy (more than 50 kg), bulky and difficult to install, and are therefore suitable only for fixed setups. Finally, convergence adjustments (superimposing the red, green and blue images) are difficult which can either take a lot of time or cost you a lot of money.