CYCLOTRON
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A CYCLOTRON is simply particle accelerator i. e it is used to accelerate positively charged heavy particles.
Heavy particles like alpha-partocles,proton and any positive ion,in order to carry nuclear reactions. This device was devised or invented by LAWRENCE and LIVINGSTONE.
Now you will say how these particles are heavy particles.They are heavy in comparison to electron,because it is having extremely small size.
CONSTRUCTION
A CYCLOTRON consists two metallic hollow semi-circular chambers known as "Dees"(D¹ D²) separated by small distance placed in horizontal plane. Externally these "Dees" are connected to high frequency potential source which changes their polarity at regular intervals of time.
These "Dees" are placed in Normal Magnetic Field produced by strong poles .
WORKING
The positively charged particle required is first created due to ionisation of gases. e.g;proton is produced by ionisation of Hydrogen gas while as alpha particle is produced by ionisation of Helium gas present inside gap.
The electric field alredy present in gap accelerates this charged particle from D¹ to D²,however inside "Dees" electric field is absent however Normal Magnetic Field is present.Which makes this charged particle to move in a semi-circular path.(Magnetic field perpendicular to Velocity). On completion of semi-circular path, the charged particle reaches near gap. At the same time high frequency potential source reverse the polarity of "Dees".Hence electric field is also present in it which again accelerates the charged particle such that the particle enters D¹ with greater velocity. And describes semiccircular path of greater radii in D¹.The process is repeated again and again till radius of charged particle becomes equal to radius of metallic "Dees".