Study of CRO

Submitted by-Vikram Arya

M.Sc-1s t Semester

Department of Physics

D.S.B- Campus Nainital

Cathode Ray Oscilloscope
Introduction-:
cathode ray oscilloscope CRO is a versatile instrument which is used for visually observing the waveform of electrical signal and
take measurement on these signals.the instrument is capable of measuring signals amplitude, frequency and phase shift apart from
indicating distortion in the waveform. It is widely used for trouble shooting radio and television receiver as well as for laboratory work
involving research and design main component of this instrument is cathode ray tube CRT it is this to which is used as image
reproduction device in television set.
CRO consists CRT, Vertical amplifier plates, Delay line, Trigger Circuit, Time base generator, Horizontal amplifier.

Thermo Ionic Emission-: Tungsten wire (m.p-3643K) passes it in vaccum, upon passes of current through it called filament current.
It gets heated the melting point of the tungsten is high we can pass enough current to take it to 375-773K.The electron signal inside the metal gain
additional kinetic energ upon heating the metal and higher are the kinetic energy of the electron the greatest selby the probability of these beach escaping
the potential barrier for its cape into the outer space. The phenomenon of emission of electrons from heated metal is called thermo ionic emission. The
current density is defined as the number of electron crossing per unit cross sectional area per second the electronic charge.

Cathode ray tube (CRT)

Cathode ray tube consist of following sections-: Electron gun,Deflecting electric/magnetic fields, fluorescent screen.

Electron gun-:electron gun means a source of electron such that the electrons are not scattered in all directions but are directed along a particular path in
vacuum the gun has a thermo electron emitting element f in wire or ribben form.this filament is surrounded by a pill box shaped system which is in turn
surrounded by a cylinder w acting as a grade called Wehnelt cylinder.
This this cylinder is at the -ve potential with respect to filament called cathode, so that the electrons scattering into the path other then desire one are
repeppled . The amount of -ve potential on the grid controls the number of electrons emerging out from the the gun per second.
The electrons can be directed into a path in the the form of fine narrow pencil if an electron lens s placed near the Wehlnet cylinder.
The-ve potential on the cylinder converges the electron at a point called crossover point.
The electron lens which is made by using two anode A1 and A2 focus the beam merging out from point A on to the screen.This fine pencil of ray of
electron is also called cathode ray.
The amount of -ve potential on the grid controls the number of electrons emerging out from the the gun per second.
The electrons can be directed into a path in the the form of fine narrow pencil if an electron lens Is placed near the Wehnel t cylinder.
The-ve potential on the cylinder converges the electron at a point called crossover point.
This this cylinder is at the -ve potential with respect to filament called cathode, o that the electrons scattering into the path other then desire one are
repeppled.
The amount of -ve potential on the grid controls the number of electrons emerging out from the the gun per second.
The electrons can be directed into a path in the the form of fine narrow pencil if an electron lens is placed near the Wehnel t cylinder.
The -ve potential on the cylinder converges the electron at a point called crossover point.

The electron lens which is made by using two anode A1 and A2 focus the beam merging out from point A on to the screen.This fine pencil of ray of
electron is also called cathode ray.
The amount of-ve potential on the grid controls the number of electrons emerging out from the the gun per second.
The electrons can be directed into a path in the the form of fine narrow pencil if an electron lens is placed near the Wehnel t cylinder.
The-ve potential on the cylinder converges the electron at a point called crossover point.

The electron lens which is made by using two anode A1 and A2focus the beam merging out from point A on to the screen.This fine pencil of ray of electron
is also called cathode ray.
Deflecting Electric Fields Influence:

Fig-Explain the action of a pair of deflecting plates. In the path of the electrons from the electron gun,
Two plates called Y plates and X plates are placed. If these plates are are the same potential V as the anode A2, The cathode ray strike at the midpoint of
the screen which is also the focus of the electron gun.

A dc potential V y is applied at the input across the Y-plates after amplification by a factor AY . The cathode rays shall start travelling parabolic path within
the plate and straight line parth towards the screen after imaging from the plates.

The vertical deflection Y on the screen will therefore take place. The Y will depend upon the the ratio of the deflecting potential Vy Ay and accelerating
potential ve at the anode A2. This is because higher is the potential for the deflection,
Higher will be the vertical deflection along the y-axis.
However if the electron are travelling at the faster rate due to higher accelerating potential, the deflection potential influence should be smaller
The Y shall also be proportional to l y , the distance travels by the cathode ray within the plates.
The Y shall also depend upon the situation at of the screen from the mid points of the plates.
If two plates are near there will be stronger electric field and consequently stronger force on the electrons.
Therefore, the deflection will also depend the separation between the plates dy. The resulting formula for the vertical deflection is-:

Now considered the application across the X-plates of d.c, potential V xat the input which is apply by an amplifier called X-amplifier by a factor
A x. The resulting horizontal deflection shall be

Where thel x , L x and d x are the length of the the x plate distance between centre of these plates and the screen the separation between these plates.

Horizontal and vertical sensitivities

We can define the horizontal sensitivity S x as the displacement of the focal spot horizontally on the screen with respect to per unit potential difference
across the X-plates and the vertical sensitivity as the displacement vertically per unit potential difference across the Y-plates. Naturally, the units of the
sensitivity shall be V/cm or mV/mm.
y x
Sy = and S x = V
Vy x
Magnetic Deflection

the deflection can be caused not only electrostatically by the potential difference V x A xon X-plates andV y A yon Y- plates but also by the magnetic field
created by the solenoidal in which current are proportional to the V xand By for the X and Y

Deflection, respectively. Magnetic field B has the effect equivalent to the electric field Per unit velocity of the cathode ray the B always created forces
perpendicular to B as well as v¯ basic expression remain same for the magnetic deflection

d e
Sm = = lL√
B 2 mV a
A.C input case If a.c potential difference is applied, the V xis a function of time and therefore, Y will also a function of time. The spot on CRO traces
vertical to and for path at the rate identical to the input a.c frequency f, provided the time period of the input frequency is large compared to the time of
flight t f in the during path equal to the Ly.
1
2 Ly 1

[ ]
2
tf =
√2 V e
√ 2
m

This time t f is inversely proportional to the accelerating potential and is given by The e/m is the fundamental constant for the electron. The condition for
the appropriate Faithful trace is therefore
1
≫t f
f

Frequency case
The t f is made smaller by using large accelerating potential. The high frequency CRO (above 20 MHZ)therefore use the high accelerating
potential of 30keV or more and should have CRT made with Small L y .
Fluorescent screen
Wilemite called zinc orthosilicate is a popular material to prepare fluorescent screens. Tungstates of cadmium and calcium also so give
blue fluorescence. In black and white Tv, CRT the white fluorescence emits. In CRT used in colour televisions, dots of green, yellow and red
fluorescent meeting materials are alternatively placed all over the screen.
The electron beam if strike at a point for long time due to DC input at X or Y, the fluorescence screen can be damaged, is the part of the kinetic
energy of the incoming electron always dissipated as heat.
aquadag coating (fine carbon particle) is also made at the screen with one end connected to earth to provide written path to the unidirectional
electron emerging from the filament.

Power Supply in CRO

A supply of 6 volt or 12 volt a.c is needed for the filament heater in order to achieve thermionic emission. As Filament takes some time to
achieve desired temperature, we must have noted that CRO and TV screen lights up after a while and not instantly upon switching on. A supply
for –ve potential to Wehnelt cylinder is needed to obtain brilliancy control. If –ve potential is higher, the electrons in the cathode ray are reduced
and therefore the number of photons from fluorescent material of the screen are also reduced.
A supply is needed for the anode A2. The accelerating voltage at A2 control the time of flight t f taken by the cathode ray reaching the screen. This
voltage is above 10keV . It is high for CRO

Usable at high frequencies.

A supply is needed for the anode A1 and the ratio of the second to first anode potential is varied by changing the +ve potential at A2 . The
change in the ratio alters the spatial distribution of elecrostatic lines of force between A1 and A2 which change the focal length of the electron lens
of the electron gun . The focus control is made from a knob on front panel of a CRO . This knob acts the resistance of the potentiometer
attached to it which is alters the potential at A.
A power supply for the amplifier circuits and time base circuits of the CRO and for a calibration.
Voltage generator circuit is also needed. The calibration voltage is available at a front panel terminal of the CRO to late user calibrate the
sensitivities of the vertical and horizontal deflection.

Time based circuit

Often it is required to observe relationship between amplitude and time, with time on x-axis, its independent variable and amplitude
on y-axis, it’s being dependent variable.
Application of CRO
A CRO is a versatile instrument and has a large number of application .
1. It is mainly used to analyse dc or ac voltage having wide range of
magnitude and frequencies. The time interval is less than a microsecond
between the electrical pulses can also be measured. Some of the m
ain application of a CRO are described as follows;
1.Display of waveforms
One of the most significant features of CRO is that can display the time
varying signals on the screen. The signal to be displayed applied to the vertical
input and the voltage from the internal sweep generator is applied to the
horizontal input to provide the time-base. The visual display of signals gives
information about the nature of the waveform and the presence of harmonic in
it.

2. Measurements of voltage and current

The instrument can also measure the voltages associated with the
displayed waveforms. the magnitude of an applied dc voltage or the
amplitude of an applied ac voltage can be measured by counting the
number of division on the vertical scale and using the appropriate
calibration. Current is measured indirectly by passing it through a known
resistance and measuring the voltage across the resistance.

3. Measurement of time and frequency

The calibration of the horizontal scale , which represent the time
base, can be used to determine the frequency or time period of oscillating
waveform. It can also be used to measure the time interval between the
two electric pulses. If n sinusoidal wave are present in a time interval t,
the period of the wave is given by
T = t/n and
The frequency is given by
 f = 1/T
References

Solid state physics and electronics

By- R.K. Puri and
V.K. Babbar
S. Chand publication 1997
Page number 494 – 513