PHYWE Electron Diffraction Tube

Operating Instructions with mounting

06721.00

CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE
1. Purpose With the electron diffraction tube; the
2. Description and mode of operation corpuscular and wave characteristics of
3. Operation electrons can be demonstrated and
4. Diffraction of electrons on graphite studied. In comparison with other
5. Electron optic representation of the experiments in the quantum physics of
carrier mesh electrons, the method of electron
6. Fault levels diffraction on a crystal grid proves
7. Additional information particularly advantageous because:
8. Protection from rays
9. Experiment literature the diffracted image can be made
10. Technical data directly visible with the help of a
11. Equipment list fluorescent screen and
2

- only one s impl e to operate, compact K G,

Diffracti on
test instrument is required. sub stan ce

The electron diffraction tube enables

the de-Broglie principle to be proved
experimenta lly and wi th cons i derab 1e
accuracy, as a basis for wave particle H
dualism applicable to electrons.
LL
FI g. 2
T
2. DESCRIPTION AND MODE OF OPERATION
The electron diffraction tube has a
mounting to which the necessary power
supply units and measuring equipment can
be connected.
3. OPERATION
In the electron diffraction tube, an The functional elem ents of the e lectron
elect ron beam is produced wh i ch ca n be diffraction tube's beam emission system
controlled, as it is dependent on (H, K, GL to G4) connect with the
externa 1, experi menta 1 pa rameters. The correspondlngly marked sockets on the
electron diffraction tube beam emission mount i ng. The tube and the mount i ng
system is shown schematically in Fig. 2. form one unit which should not be split.
Thermionic cathode K is heated by a If this does happen, then care must be
heating coil H. The electrons emitted taken when the tube is re-fitted that
from the cathode are accelerated in an the small connecting pins are not bent.
electric field created by the grid It should also be noted that one of the
system Gl to G4' Wehne 1t cyl i nder Gl sockets on the tube mount i ng is sealed
deflects a narrow electron bundle in the so that the tube can only be plugged in
direction of the symmetrical axis in the correct way for the contact
(optical axis). The electrons from the arrangement.
Wehnelt cylinder are easily accelerated
forward by Grid G2' which has a positive
potential. Then the electrons flying
through the opening at Grid G2 are
acce 1erated very vi gorous ly because of
the strong positive potential at the
anode, G3' Finally, Grid G4 is used to
focus the electron beam, providing, with
the anode, an electron optic lens ~ 1 0M J1.

system. The accelerated particles land + 2 .... 12kV

on a film attached vertically to the
optical axis. This film consists of a v
copper mesh on which there is a layer of
polycrystalline graphite. As the 0 ... -50 V
particles penetrate this film, they are
defl ected from thei r path to va ryi ng
degrees and enter the spheri ca 1 section -+----_0
of the electron tube, see also Fig. 5. U ~ =6 , 3V +250 V

Where the electrons reach the inner wall O.. . +250V

of the gl ass sphere, they encounter a
fluorescent layer. In areas where
individual electrons land in clusters on
the fl uorescent 1ayer, they produce a
clearly visible luminescence, due to the
fluorescent rays. Fi g. 3
Fig. 3 shows the electrical Wlrlng for The electrons deflect ed at the graphite
the electron diffraction tube, taking in have a de-Broglie wave length dependent
a meter for the anode voltage. An AC on the anode voltage Va' as follows:
current is suffi ci ent for the heating.
To power the other functions, we11 1500 kV pm,
filtered DC voltages are always
required. The individual voltage ranges
and values are also reproduced in
Fig. 3. All voltages (apart from the
anode voltage) can be taken from a
universal power supply 11725.93.
Where Va is the anode voltage (accelera
The anode current should not far exceed tion VOltage), or the potential to earth
1 mAo Therefore, a limiter resistor of at Grid G3' Since the anode voltage
some 10 Mn (e.g. 10 Mn resistor with shoul d not exceed 12 kV, the small est
plug and socket, Order no. 07160.00) de-Broglie wavelength that can be
should generally be wired in front of achieved with the electron diffraction
the anode. If a HV unit with short tube is:
circuit current < 1 mA is used to
provide the anode voltage (e.g. HV power Ami n = 11. 2 pm
supply 25 kV, Order no. 117"30.93), then
a limiter resistor is not required. The
HV cable coupled firmly to the anode has This val ue i s c1earl y small e r than the
dialectric strength, so that no special grid constants for the structure of
conductor lead is required. graphite. Thus, there may be i nterfer
ence on the diffraction rings of the
individual wave packages.
If HV power supply 11730.93 is used, no
separate earthing of the cathode is
needed, as the negative pole on the unit
has a zero potential.

For all the experiments described in

Paras. 4 and 5, the fo11ow 'ing initial
setting, based on the cathode, should be
selected for the grid voltages (any
further adjustment then depends on the
aim of each experiment):

- Wehnelt cylinder (Grid G1): -25 V

Grid G2: +250 V
Anode tGrid G3): +10 kV
Grid G4: approx. +250 V

4. DIFFRACTION OF THE ELECTRONS ON

GRAPHITE
Fig. 4
The graphite 1ayer on the diffraction
film is made up of many micro-crystals
which are spatially randomly oriented.
Each crystal shows the typical structure
for graphite. The two 1argest gri d
level distances are: In the experiment, the additional
electric power supply equipment is first
d 1 = 213 pm of all adjusted to the initial setting.
The negative voltage at the Wehne1t
and cylinder (Grid Gl) is reduced until the
strongest poss i 01 e diffract ion ri ngs
d2 = 123 pm have formed.
 4

Fig. 4 shows the diffraction image in an us i ng the appropri ate diffract ion ri ng
experimental example. Both ri ngs seen diameters 2 1" 1 and 2 1" 2' The ring)n
in the image comply with the Bragg diameters can nest be measured with a
defi nit i on slide rule, noting that the rule should
be aligned with the maximu~ intensity of
1500 kV the rings. (Relatively accurate results
pm, can be obtained if the diameter is
Va
measured from the edges of the rings in
each case and the position of maximum
intensity calculated by finding mean
Where 81 2 represents the ang1 es of values.)
di ffract lon of the electron beam,
dependent on anode voltage Va (see
Fig. 5).
D is the greatest di stance of the
graphite layer, the diffraction sub
stance, from the wall of the glass
sphere. The nominal dimension to be
used in the calculation is:

D :: 127 mm

The graphs in Fig. 6 show the relation

ship found between angles of diffraction
81 and 82 and the anode voltage, Va in a
measuring example.

Fig. 5

IY
1 O t
4

I f the re 1at i onshi p between the angl es

of diffraction 81 and 82 and the anode
voltage Va is to be studied, then the
1atter must be increased step by step
( say f rom Va:: 2 kV up t a Va :: 12 k V) ,
and, at the same time, the voltage at
the Wehnelt cyl i nder must be adjusted, 2
so that the diffraction image is as
clear as possible (when increasing the
Wehnelt voltage, the anode voltage pre IY,
viously set will always drop slightly,
because there is increasing load on the
HV sup ply unit).

Angl es of di ffract i on 81 + 82 can be '/

/ i
o
determined from the definitlve equa
tion:
Ll :: ~ arc sin 21"1.2
5 6 7 8 9 10
Ua
-kV --
ul.2 't D Fig. 6

The values of A/2 sin 8l 2 are, accord
ing to Fig. 7, mostly l<~enti(;al to the
values of the gr id-level distances d 1
and d 2
).12 sin ,91 ,2 t
pm
250
200
150
100
50
(
( I I I
o 5 6 7
FIg. 7
5. ELECTRON OPTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE
CARRIER MESH
If the el ectron bu nd le that hits the
samp l e i s expanded suff ici ently, the
copper mes h that carr ies the graphite
l aye r necessary fo r diffraction can be
shown on the sc r ee n.
The connected electrical power s upply
equipment is adjusted to the i ni tial
setting. The voltage at the Wehne lt
c~ linder (Grid G1 ) is r edu ced unt il the
dlameter of the patch of light i s large
enough for the shadow of the carri er
mesh to be seen.
The mesh st ructure seen on the screen
shows that object s ca n be represented
geometrically wi th the help of electrons
in an optical co ntext .
6. FAULT LEVELS
With an anode voltage of 12 kV , the
speed of the elect rons in re lat i on t o
the speed of lig ht i s some 22%. It is
therefore ac ceptab l e to r egard the
electrons as no n-re l a t i vist ic~
5
For the de- Br oglie wavelength, this
approximati on r e lat es to a fault level
of max. 1.2%.
Systemat i c or equi'pment-re 1ated devi a
tions in the experiment results as
compared with theoretical values arise
from the inevitable inaccurac~ of D
(distance f r om graphite layer to glass
sphere). I n accordance with the
tolerances set for D, a fault level of
up to 2.5% can be expected.
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As well as the two st rong diffract ion
ri ngs, other 1ess intense ri ngs of
larger diameter can be seen. If the
room is in complete darkness, these
rings can also be seen clearly.
I I I
8 9 10
u,
-kV ----- To demonstrate the diffraction
phenomenon ina 1a rge room or lecture
theatre, it is advisable to use TV
transm is sion equipment.
8. PROTECTION FROM RAYS
When using the electron diffraction
tube, X-rays are produced. As defined
by the regu 1at ions with regard to
protec,tion against damage by iOnlSlng
rays, 13th October, 1976 (Regulations on
Radiation Protection) and the regula
tions with regard to protection against
damage by X-rays of 1st March, 1973
(Regulations on X-rays), the electron
dif fract ion tube emits hazardous rays.
Clause 5 (2) of the regulations on
X-rays states how the instrument should
be handled. Since, under operating
conditions (maximum operating voltage:
Ua = 12 kV), the localised emission of
X-rays at a di stance of 5 cm from the
surface of the instrument is less than
36 pA/kg, the electron diffraction tube
can be used in the lecture room without
hes itat i on and without any speci a 1
measures to protect against radiation.
The legislation demands no- design
permi t. The i nst rument can be used
wit hout special permission from or noti
fication to authorities.
It s hould, however, be pointed out in
th is connection, that , if the maximum
ope r at ing voltage of 12 kV is exceeded,
not only could the instrument be Acceleration voltage
damaged, but the radiation emission (fi ltered) : +250 V
becomes unacceptably high.
Anode voltage
(fil tered) : +2 to +12 kV
9. EXPERIMENT LITERATURE
Anode current: <1 rnA
Experiments in Physics
Wave Particle Dualism Focussing voltage
Order No. 16052.41 (fi ltered) : o to +250 V
University Laboratory
Experiments - Physics 11. EQUIPMENT LIST
Part 2, Order No. 16500.41
The most important i nst ruments used in
connection with the electron diffraction
10. TECHNICAL DATA tube are gi ven below with thei r order
nos. The complete equipment lists
Diffraction substance: Graphite required for various experiments can be
found in the experiment literature
Carrier Mesh: Copper quoted.
Nominal distance from Order No. Equipment
diffraction substance
to inner wall of sphere: 127 mm 3 mm 11151.00 Electrostatic voltmeter 26 kV
11725.93 Power supply, universal
Diameter 11730.93 HV power supply 25 kV
of fluorescent screen 10 cm
Heating voltage: U AC = 6.3 V,
300 rnA
Wehne It voltage
(filtered): o to -50 V

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