A---INTRODUCTION

Apart from mechanical indicators, filament lamps, and moving coil meters, the cathode
ray tube is the oldest display technology in current aircraft use.
Despite its age, the CRT offers a number of significant advantages, including the
ability to provide an extremely bright colour display which can be viewed over
a wide range of angles.
For these two reasons, CRT displays are still found in modern aircraft despite the
increasing trend to replace them with active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD
B—CONSTRUCTION
FIG B-1 CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF A TYPICAL CRT DISPLAY

The figure above shows the main constructional features of a typical CRT assembly
Note the following main components
1 EVACUATED GLASS ENVELOPE
2 ELECTRON GUN ASSEMBLY
3 HORIZONTAL DEFLECTION PLATES
4 VERTICAL DEFLECTION PLATES
5 FLUORESCENT SCREEN
NB—ELECTROSTATIC DEFLECTION SYSTEM IS THE METHOD EMPLOYED IN
THE CONSTRUCTION SHOWN ABOVE (SEE SECTION B-2)
B-1—ELECTRON GUN
The cathode, heater, grid and anode assembly forms an electron gun which
produces a beam of electrons that is focused on the rear phosphor coating of
the screen.

HEATER
The heater raises the temperature of the cathode which is coated with thoriated
tungsten (a material that readily emits electrons when heated).
The negatively charged electrons form a cloud above the cathode (the electrons are
literally ‘boiled off’ the cathode surface) and become attracted by the high positive
potential that appears on the various anodes.
GRID
The flow of electrons is controlled by the grid.
This structure consists of a fine wire mesh through which the electrons must pass.
The grid is made negative with respect to the cathode and this negative potential
has the effect of repelling the electrons.
By controlling the grid potential it is possible to vary the amount of electrons
passing through the grid thus controlling the intensity (or brightness) of the
display on the screen.
FOCUS ANODES
The focus anodes consist of two or three tubular structures through which the
electron beam passes.
By varying the relative potential on these anodes it is possible to bend and
focus the beam in much the same way as a light beam can be bent and focussed
using a biconvex lens.
FINAL ANODE
The final anode consists of a graphite coating inside the CRT.
This anode is given a very high positive potential (typically several kV) which has
the effect of accelerating the beam of electrons as they travel towards it.
The result is an electron beam of high energy impacting itself against the phosphor
coating on the inside rear of the screen area.
The energy liberated by the collision of the electrons with the phosphors is
converted into light (the colour of the light depending on the impact).

NB—An Aquadag coating is applied to the CRT---See section F

 B-2--DEFLECTION SYSTEM
In order to move the beam of electrons to different parts of the screen (in other words,
to be able to ‘draw’ on the screen) it is necessary to bend (or deflect) the beam.
Two methods of deflection are possible depending on the size and application for the
CRT.
B-2-1—ELECTROSTATIC DEFLECTION
B-2-2-ELECTROMAGNETIC DEFLECTION
B-2-1-1 -ELECTROSTATIC DEFLECTION-
-This method is commonly used for small CRT displays).

Using this method two sets of plates are introduced into the neck of the CRT between
the focus anodes and the final anode.

One pair of plates is aligned with the vertical plane (these X-plates provide deflection of
the electron beam in the horizontal direction) whilst the other pair of plates is aligned in
the horizontal plane (these Y-plates provide deflection of the electron beam in the
vertical plane

By placing an electric charge (voltage) on the plates it is possible to bend the beam
towards or away from a particular plate, as shown in Figure 11.4.
FIG-2-1-1-1--X-PLATE (HORIZONTAL DEFLECTION) SYSTEM

NB—THE ABOVE FIGURE SHOWS THE PAIR OF DEFLECTION PLATES THAT CAUSE THE
ELECTRON BEAM TO MOVE HORIZONTALLY (THE X-PLATES) AS WELL AS SHOWING
THE DIRECTION OF MOTION OF THE BEAM OF ELECTRONS
KEY: DP-1-------DEFLECTION PLATE-1
-------DP-2------DEFLECTION PLATE-2
FIG-2-1-1-2---Y-PLATE (VERTICAL DEFLECTION) SYSTEM) ABOVE

FIG ABOVE SHOWS THE PAIR OF DEFLECTING PLATES (DP-1 AND DP-2) THAT
CAUSE THE ELCTRON BEAM TO MOVE VERTICALLY (THE Y-PLATES)
(ELECTROSTATIC DEFLECTION0)

THE FIGURE BELOW SHOWS THE Y-PLATES DEFLECTING THE ELECTRON BEAM
DOWN-WARDS (ELECTROSTATIC DEFLECTION)
B-2-E ELECROMAGNETIC DEFLECTION METHOD
FIG B-2-1—THE POSITION OF THE DEFLECTION ELEMENTS IN A CRT
ELECTROMAGNETIC DEFLECTION SYSTEM

FIG-B-2-2 THE EFFECT OF THE DEFLECTION COILS ON THE ELECTRON BEAM

IN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC DEFLECTION SYSTEM
NB—THE BENDING OF THE BEAM OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE BEAM PASSES THOUGH
THE DEFLECTING FIELD
B-2-E ELECROMAGNETIC DEFLECTION METHOD (CONTINUED)
NB—THIS METHOD IS EMPLOYED IN ALMOST ALL LARGE CRT DISPLAYS
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
Any current of electricity has associated with it a magnetic field
The stream of electrons travelling through the tube towards the fluorescent screen
constitute an electric current. The fact that it exists in space without a metallic
conductor makes no difference—it is nevertheless surrounded by a magnetic field of its
own.
By arranging a magnetic field (i.e the deflection system) to interact with it, a
displacement of the beam can be produced
NB—The action is similar to the disturbing effect which an ordinary magnet has on a
compass needle.
Just as the deflection produced electrostatically is proportional to the potential
difference applied to the plates, the deflection in the electromagnetic case is
proportional to the current flowing in the the deflecting coils
It is also proportional to the number of turns of wire in the deflection coils
C—CRT SCANNING-
C-1----INTRODUCTION
Scanning is the synchronised movement of the electron beam from right to left and/or
from top to bottom on the CRT screen.
C-2—SCANNING METHODS
Two scanning methods may be employed
1---RASTER SCANNING
2—RANDOM SCANNING
C-2-1 RASTER SCANNING METHOD
In a raster scan system the electron beam is swept across the screen, one row at a
time from top to bottom,
As the electron beam moves across each row the beam intensity is turned ON and
OFF to create a pattern of illuminated spots

FIG C-2-1-1—RASTER SCANNING PRINCIPLE

C-2-1-RASTER SCAN PRINCIPLE—CONTINUED
FIG C—2-1-2 RASTER SCAN PRINCIPLE

In order to scan the full area of the CRT it is necessary to repeatedly scan the beam of
electrons from top to bottom and left to right, as shown in Figure C-1 and FIG-C-2.
The voltage waveforms required on the X and Y plates to produce the scanned raster
must be ramp (sawtooth) shaped with different frequencies.
For example, to produce the extremely crude four-line display shown in Figure C-1 the
ramp waveform applied to the X-plates would be 50 Hz whilst that applied to Y-PLATE
would be 200 HZ.
A complete raster would then be scanned in a time interval of 20 ms (one fiftieth of a
second).
NB—RAMP FORM WAVE
A sawtooth wave with a linear rise and a practically instantaneous decay; its name was
derived from its resemblance to an incline
FIG-C-2-1-3 RAMP FORM WAVE

FIG-C-2-1-4—RASTER SCAN DISPLAYS

NB—Refreshing on a Raster scan displays is carried out at the rate of 60 to 80

frames per second, although some systems are designed for higher refresh rates

Sometimes refresh rates are described in units of cycles per second or Hertz (Hz)
C-2-1-RASTER SCAN PRINCIPLE—CONTINUED
After producing a raster, individual picture cells (pixels) can be illuminated by
modulating the brightness of the beam (this can be done by applying a ‘video’ signal
voltage to the cathode of the CRT.
Essentially, the beam of electrons is being modulated with the information that needs
to be displayed. In effect, the electron beam is being rapidly switched on and off in
order to illuminate the individual pixels. (PIXEL—PICTURE ELEMENT)
Text can easily be displayed by this method by arranging characters into a character
cell matrix. Typical arrangements of character cells are shown below
FIG C-2-1-5---EXAMPLES OF CHARACTER CELLS

FIG C-2-1-6—EXAMPLE OF INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON A FLIGHT DECK

CRT
C-2-2—RANDOM SCAN METHOD
Random scan monitors draw a picture one line at at a time and for this reason are
also referred to as vector displays (or stroke writing or calligraphic displays)
The component lines of a picture can be drawn and refreshed by a random scan system
in any specified order
NB—Refresh rate on a random scan system depends on the number of lines to be
drawn
NB—Random scan displays are designed to draw all the component lines of a picture 30
to 60 times each second
FIG-C-2-2-1—RANDOM SCAN PRINCIPLE

RANDOM SCAN METHOD—ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

D---COLOUR CRT
Color CRTs use several colors of phosphor, generally red, green, and blue, and produce
full-color images as additive combinations of these
The phosphor screen emits light when excited by electron bombardment, and thereby
produces a viewable image.
CRTs produced with one color phosphor are monochromatic, that is, the image is black-
and-white, black-and-green, or any other color contrasted with black.
Color CRTs use several colors of phosphor, generally red, green, and blue, and
produce full-color images as additive combinations of these colours
FIG D-1—TYPICAL COLOUR CRT CONSTRUCTION
NB—NOTICE THE THREE ELECTRON GUNS
NB—ONE ELECTRON GUN IS DEDICATED TO PRODUCING ONE OF THE
PRIMARY COLOURS---THAT IS ONE GUN FOR THE COLOR RED,ONE GUN FOR
THE COLOUR GREEN AND THE THIRD GUN FOR THE COLOR BLUE

NB—NOTE APERTURE/SHADOW MASK CONSTRUCTION—SEE BELOW

FIG-D-2--APERTURE SHADOW MASK CONSTRUCTION

NB--Generation of colours by illuminating red, green and blue phosphors

E—CRT—SUMMARY OF MAIN COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS

1. The Heater—serves as the source of heat for the cathode .

2. The Cathode—serves as the source of thermionically emitted electrons
3. The Control Grid- controls the number of electrons that will be fired
4. The Focusing Anode- this anode serves a dual purpose of attracting electrons from
the area of the control grid and focusing the electrons into a beam.
5. The Accelerating Anode this anode is used to accelerate the electrons toward the
front of the tube. its secondary function is to reduce inter electrode capacitance, .
6. The Vertical-Deflection Plates—these plates move the electron beam up and
down the screen. .
7. The Horizontal-Deflection Plates these plates move the electron beam
horizontally across the CRT screen. Electronic signals are supplied to these plates to
trace or paint a horizontal line.
8. The Aquadag Coating—, This coating performs the function of eliminating the
effects of secondary emission. The aquadag is positively charged and attracts
secondary emission away from the screen.
9. The Screen—also called the face When struck by electrons, the phosphor coating
becomes luminous, or glows, thus enabling the tube to visually present electronic
signals.
F—CRT AQUADAG COATING---IMPORTANCE OF AQUADANG

REAR VIEW OF CRT DISPLAY SHOWING EXTERNAL GRAPHITE

COATING(AQUADAG)

The CRT SCREEN is coated with a fluorescent material that gives off light when
struck by electrons. This coating is necessary because the electron beam itself is
invisible.
The material used to convert the electrons’ energy into visible light is a
PHOSPHOR.
In order to reach the screen, electrons from the cathode are accelerated to relatively
high velocities.
When these electrons strike the screen, they dislodge other electrons from the
material of the screen.
If these secondary emission electrons are allowed to accumulate, they will form a
negatively-charged barrier between the screen and the electron beam, causing a
distorted image on the CRT screen.
The method used to control secondary emission is to use a special coating called an
AQUADAG COATING is applied to the inside/outside of the tube as shown in figure
above
This coating is composed of a conductive material, such as graphite, and has the
same high-positive potential applied to it that is applied to the accelerating
anode. This allows the aquadag to perform two functions. First, since the aquadag
coating is positive, it attracts the secondary emitted electrons and removes
them. Second, because the aquadag is operated at a high-positive potential and is
mounted in front of the accelerating anode , it aids in the acceleration of electrons
toward the screen
G—PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION--SUMMARY
A CRT is a thermionic device, i.e. one in which electrons are liberated as a result of
heat energy.
As may be seen from Fig. B-1, it consists of an evacuated glass envelope, inside
which are positioned an electron 'gun' and beam-focusing and beam-deflection
systems.
The inside surface of the screen is coated with a crystalline solid material known as
a phosphor.
The electron 'gun' consists of an indirectly-heated cathode biased negatively with
respect to the screen, a cylindrical grid surrounding the cathode, and two
(sometimes three) anodes.
When the cathode is heated, electrons are liberated and in passing through the
anodes they are made to form a beam.
The grid is maintained at a negative potential, its purpose being to control the
current and so modulate the beam of electrons passing through the hole in the grid.
The anodes are at. a positive potential with respect to the cathode, and they
accelerate the electrons to a high velocity until they strike the screen coating.
The anodes also provide a means of focusing
NB--In order to cover the full screen area of a CRT display it is necessary to scan
the beam (up and down and left to right) in order to create a raster. The raster is
generated by applying ramp waveforms of appropriate frequency to the X and
Y-deflection system.
H—CRT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES