Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

Cathode-ray Tube is the heart of Cathode Ray Oscilloscope. An electron tube that has an electron
gun, a deflection system, and a screen. This tube is used to display visual electronic signals. An
electron beam is focused on a luminescent screen than varied in position and intensity to produce a
visible pattern. CRT displays are in decline, and are being replaced by Flat screen LCD displays that
reduce weight, take up less space, and consume less power. Flat screens handle shock better than
CRTs.

Figure: Internal Structure of a CRT

The main parts of a CRT are:

1. Electron Gun Assembly

◦ An electron gun consists of three major parts. The first is the cathode, a piece of metal
which, when heated, gives off electrons. One of the most common cathodes in use is
made of cesium metal, a member of the alkali family that loses electrons very easily.
When a cesium cathode is heated to a temperature of about 1,750°F (954°C), it begins to
release a stream of electrons. These electrons are then accelerated by an anode (a
positively charged electrode) placed a short distance away from the cathode. As the
electrons are accelerated, they pass through a small hole in the anode into the center of
the cathode ray tube.
 The intensity of the electron beam entering the anode is controlled by the grid. The grid
may consist of a cylindrical piece of metal to which a variable electrical charge can be
applied. The amount of charge placed on the control grid determines the intensity of the
electron beam that passes through it.

There are two methods of focusing an electron beam:

▪ Electrostatic focusing: In the electrostatic deflection CRT, four deflection plates are
located inside the CRT. The top and bottom plates control vertical deflection of the
beam and the right and left plates control the horizontal deflection of the beam. An
electrical charge is applied to these plates to direct the beam to the proper area of the
CRT. To move the beam to the right, a positive charge is applied to the right plate to
pull the beam while a negative charge is applied to the left plate to push the electron
beam to the proper position. The amount of the charge applied to the plates controls
the amount of deflection.
▪ Electromagnetic focusing: Electromagnetic focusing refers to a technique involving
the deflection using a magnetic field generated by four coils to move the beam across
the CRT.

Figure: Electrostatic deflection

The CRO uses electrostatic method of focusing as compared to a TV picture tube which
employes electromagnetic focusing.
2. Deflection plate assembly
◦ The method of deflecting an electron beam by passing it between parallel charged plates
mounted inside a cathode-ray tube. CRT, Internal View.
3. Flourescent screen
◦ The phosphor viewing surface is a thin layer of material which emits visible light when
struck by the electron beam. The chemical composition of the phosphor can be altered to
produce the colors white, blue, yellow, green, or red.
4. Glass envelope
◦ The glass envelope consists of a relatively flat face plate, a funnel section, and a neck
section. The phosphor viewing surface is deposited on the inside of the glass face plate,
and the electron gun assembly is sealed into the glass neck at the opposite end. The
purpose of the funnel is to space the electron gun at the proper distance from the face
plate and to hold the glass envelope together so that a vacuum can be achieved inside the
finished tube.
5. Base, through which the connections are made to various parts
Seven Segmental Display

The illustration in the figure shows the basic layout of the segments in a seven-segment display. The
segments themselves are identified with lower-case letters "a" through "g," with segment "a" at the
top and then counting clockwise. Segment "g" is the center bar.

By illuminating the proper combination of these 7 segments numbers through 0 to 9 can be

displayed. The display is incandescent and operates on low voltages (12.48 V) and requires about
10 to 50 mA current when using LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). LCDs (Liquied Crystal Diodes) are
also used for segmental displays.
electronic counter which starts registering the input pulses. When the gate is disabled
(close/stop), the input of pulses to counter ceases and it stops counting.
The counter displays the number of pulses that have passed through it in the time
interval between start and stop. If this interval is known, the pulse rate and hence the
frequency of the input signal can be known. Suppose f is the frequency of unkown signal,
N the number of counts displayed by counter and t the time internal between start and
stop of gate. Therefore frequency of unknown signal f = N/t.
Types of DVMs

The various types of DVMs in general use are:

1. Ramp type DVM

2. Integrating type DVM
3. Potentiometric type DVM
4. Successive approximation type DVM
5. Continous balance type DVM
Telemetry
The term telemetry refers to the process by which information regarding the quantity being
measured, may be using a transducer and singal conditioning equipment, is transfered to a remote
location, to be processed, recorded and displayed.