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Cool goIITian

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16 Jun 2008 21:41:56 IST

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Magnetism

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What is a cyclotron?

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®µD®A

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16 Jun 2008 21:54:25 IST

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A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator. Cyclotrons accelerate charged particles using a high-frequency, alternating voltage (potential difference). A perpendicular magnetic field causes the particles to spiral almost in a circle so that they re-encounter the accelerating voltage many times.

Ernest Lawrence, of the University of California, Berkeley, is credited with the invention of the cyclotron in 1929. He used it in experiments that required particles with energy of up to 1 MeV.

Juhi Sharma

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Joined: 22 May 2009

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25 May 2011 21:34:24 IST

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Cyclotron

The cyclotron was one of the earliest types of particle accelerators, and is still used as the first stage of some

large multi-stage particle accelerators. It makes use of the magnetic force on a moving charge to bend moving

charges into a semicircular path between accelerations by an applied electric field. The applied electric field

accelerates electrons between the "dees" of the magnetic field region. The field is reversed at the cyclotron

frequency to accelerate the electrons back across the gap.

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