EM AND CIRCULAR MOTION IN THE CYCLOTRON

ASSIGNMENT

Electrostatic Beam Steering

The questions below guide you through a calculation of the potential needed to steer the electrons down
into the cyclotron. Consider a particle passing between the curved plates of an electrostatic bender. The
schematic below shows an example of this and some of the measurements from the benders at TRIUMF:
Mass of H:
1.67x1027 kg

Charge on H :
1.60x1019 C
Speed of the beam:
7.59x106 m/s
Radius of curvature:
0.38 m
Separation of the plates:
0.038 m
1) What is the centripetal acceleration of the ion?
2) Calculate the electric force on the ion causing it to bend as shown.
3) Calculate the electric field that would create that force on this ion. State if this
electric field is directed toward the top or bottom plate.
4) What potential difference must there be across the plates to create that field?
5) Now lets try this more symbolically. Using the equations you drew on in questions
1-3, create an equation for the potential difference in terms of mass, charge, inward
acceleration, and separation of the plates.
6) Check to see if this equation generates the same potential difference value as you found in question 4.
The equation from question 5 calculates the voltage necessary to steer the ion into
the cyclotron.
Circular Motion in a Magnetic Field - The Cyclotron
Mass of H:
Charge on H:
Initial velocity:
Magnetic field:
V between Ds:

1.67x1027 kg
1.60x1019 C
7.59x106 m/s
0.30 T
-186000 V

The cyclotron curves the paths of ions using magnetic fields. It also accelerates the bunch of negative
ions across a potential difference of -186 kV. The polarity of this voltage alternates so that the ions get two
boosts every time they go around. If more than one bunch is in the cyclotron at the same moment, the
individual bunches will be traveling at different speeds and following paths of differing radii. Is it possible
to have more than one bunch in the cyclotron at the same time? If so, they all must be at the gap
between the Ds at the same time. That is, all the different bunches must have the same period. Well take a
closer look to see if this is the case.
1) Knowing that the ions travel in a circle, derive a formula to find the radius of the path in terms of mass,
charge, velocity and magnetic field.
2) What is the initial radius of the ion?
3) What is the period of the ions traveling at the initial speed indicated?
4) What is the initial kinetic energy of the ion?
5) When the ion crosses the gap between the Ds, how much energy does it gain?
6) What is the new velocity of the H ion?
7) What is the radius of its circular path now?
8) What is the period of the ions traveling at this new speed?
9) How do the periods you found compare?
10) Combine the equation for r which you found in (1) with the equation to calculate the speed of an object
moving in a circle.
10) Explain the importance of what this equation DOES NOT depend on.
11) Express the cyclotron frequency symbolically in terms of the ions mass and charge, and the magnetic
field. What is it value?
12) Is it possible to have more than one bunch in the cyclotron at the same time? Explain.

We now have the H- ions traveling at very high speeds. They collide with a carbon target that rips off the
electrons producing a beam of protons. This proton beam hits a tantalum (181Ta) target. The protons shatter
the tantalum into smaller fragments and some of these are the exotic atoms we want to study.
To isolate these exotic atoms, we need to separate them for each other. So they will be ionized. We will do
so by using a magnetic field that will bend ions according to their speed, which is dependent on the ions
mass.
Beam Filtering
It may be easiest to start with a concrete example to help see what is going on in this process. We will start
with a 8Li atom (an important short-lived isotope) and a 16O atom (note that the O is about twice the mass of
the Li).
Mass of 8Li+:
Mass of 16O+:
Single Charge:
Initial velocity:
V:

1.33 x 1026 kg
2.66 x 1026 kg
1.60 x 1019 C
0 m/s
40,800 V

Since we are interested in a general formula showing how these isotopes can be distinguished with electric
and magnetic fields, let's work with the variables m and q and see what we get.
First, the beam is passed through an electric field created by an electrical potential difference V.
1) What is the potential energy of each ion?
2) Explain how the ions velocity is now dependent on its mass.
3) What is the velocity of the 8Li+ ion after passing through the potential difference?
4) What is the velocity of the 16O+ ion after passing through the potential difference?
Now we are going to use a vertical magnetic field to bend the atoms along a curved path with a certain
radius of curvature. For example the 8Li+ is bent to a particular radius by a 0.258 T field:
Single Charge:
Mass of 8Li+:
Velocity of 8Li+:
Magnetic Field:

1.60 x 1019 C
1.33 x 1026 kg
9.91 x 105 m/s
0.258 T

5) What is the centripetal force on the 8Li+ ion?

6) What is the inward acceleration caused by this force?
7) What is the radius of curvature given this acceleration?
Now, we will find what magnetic field will give 16O+ the same radius of curvature:
Single Charge:
Mass of 16O+:
Velocity of 16O+:
Radius of curvature:

1.60 x 1019 C
2.66 x 1026 kg
7.01 x 105 m/s
0.319 m

8) What inward force will give the 16O+ the same radius of curvature?
9) What magnetic field will produce that force on the 16O+ ion?
10) Is the magnetic field strength needed to bend the path of an ion to a certain radius proportional to the
ions mass? Explain how you know.
Beam Filtering Part 2:
We will now derive the general equation to calculate the magnetic field needed to bend the path of an ion
based on its mass.
1.

Derive the formula for calculating the velocity of a charged object after its been accelerated from
rest through a potential of V.

2.

Derive the formula for calculating the radius of the path of an ion moving perpendicularly through
a uniform magnetic field.

3.

Hence derive the formula for calculating the ratio m/q for a charge, having been accelerated
through a potential of V, moving perpendicularly through a magnetic field.

4.

Explain, in light of your equation, how one can, with a variable magnetic field, collect an ion of a
certain mass. Assume all ions have the same charge.

Worksheet 6.2

Identify Isotopes in Stable Isotope Mass Spectrum from TRIUMF

Above is a part of an actual isotope spectrum from TRIUMF. The peaks represent the beam current at the
exit of an analyzing magnet with radius of curvature r = 0.3195 m as the magnetic field is varied from 0.30
to 0.39 Tesla. The peak indicates the magnetic field for which charges were detected in the collector. The
value of the y-axis does not matter, it just shows the fact that charges were detected.
In the spectrum, there are 3 stable isotopes, and 3 stable molecules, all accelerated through a 40,800 Volt
potential difference prior to entering the analyzing magnet. The single-charged OH radical molecule is

identified for you. You only need to identify the three peaks with arrows (they are atoms and their m/q
data is found in the chart on the other page).
In the table below, calculate the m/q ratio for each of the peaks, using the magnetic field determined from
the graph and the parameters provided. Using the table of isotopes, see if you can identify each of the
molecules and isotopes. The gray arrow indicates the peak of a multi-charged ion. You will find its
mass/charge value but will need to look up its mass to identify it. The table is on my Moodle site.
r = 0.3195 m

V = 40800 Volts

Note: To change the units of m/q from kg/C to A/e (or just A) use the following conversions:

1.6 10 19 C 1e

1.6605 10 27 kg 1 amu or A
B [Tesla]
0.3756

m/q [kg/C]
1.765x10

-7

m/q [A]

Isotope

17.03 (~17)

(16OH)1+