A vacuum is a volume of empty space and is sometimes called free space whereas a

vacuum tube is a form of an evacuated e.nclosure in which electrons move without

collisions with gas molecules.

Mr john Ambrose Fleming and electronics as a field in engineering was developed later.

Materials used to make vacuum tubes

Silica

Ceramic

Diode
The simplest type of electronic vacuum tube is the diode, A diode has two
terminals: a cathode and an anode. When the cathode is sufficiently heated,
electrons start to leave its surface, due to the thermionic effect. When an electric
potential V+, higher than that of the cathode, is applied to the anode, the electrons
emitted by the cathode, which have a negative charge, are attracted and move
toward the anode itself.

By convention, the direction of the electric current is that of the “positive” charges.
Therefore, even if the electrons move from the cathode to the anode, the electric
current goes from the anode to the cathode since a current of negative charges in
one direction is equivalent to a current of positive charges in the opposite direction.

When the cathode of a vacuum tube is heated, electrons are emitted. If the anode
has an electric potential higher than the cathode, the emitted electrons are attracted
by it and an electric current start to flow (by convention the current goes from the
positive to the negative end, even if the electrons, which have a negative charge,
move from the negative to the positive end).

Triode
In a triode, a third terminal, called grid, is placed between the anode and the
cathode. When the electric potential of the grid is lower than that of the cathode,
the electrons emitted by the cathode are repelled and find difficulties to reach the
anode. If the grid is negative enough, current is blocked, obtaining the same effect
of closing the valve in the hydraulic circuit. If the grid potential is the same than
that of the cathode, the current flows freely from the anode to the cathode. When a
voltage signal is applied to the grid, the electric current, from the anode to the
cathode, follows the signal applied to the grid.

It is important to note that no current traverses the grid in normal operations. Being
the grid negative, with respect to the cathode, it repels electrons and there is no
electric current.

   Tetrode
The basic idea of the triode was refined with the introduction of the tetrode. A
tetrode, has a fourth electrode called screen, between the anode and the grid. The
screen has the purpose of reducing the capacitance produced by the grid and the
anode. In fact, in a triode, the grid and the anode are very close one to the other and
jointly behave as a small capacitor, which might cause instability and oscillations.
If the screen has a voltage higher than that of the cathode and the grid, but lower
than the anode, it acts as an electrostatic screen between the grid and the anode,
thus reducing their inherent capacitance.
In a tetrode, a fourth electrode is used as a screen to limit the inherent capacitance
between grid and anode 

   Pentode
Tetrodes were further refined with the introduction of the pentode. When electrons
emitted by the cathode reach the anode, they might have enough energy to
stimulate secondary electron emission from the anode itself. Secondary emission
electrons might reach the screen grid, causing instability and oscillations. In order
to prevent secondary emission electrons from reaching the screen
grid, pentodes use a fifth electrode, called suppressor, as shown in diagram below.
The suppressor is generally directly connected to the cathode, either with an
internal connection in the vacuum tube, or by an explicit connection between the
corresponding pins.

In a pentode, a fifth electrode, called suppressor is added to attract secondary

emission electrons, emitted by the anode when hit by electrons arriving from the
cathode. This prevents secondary emission electrons from reaching the screen grid
that would cause instability and oscillations.
Similarities between a P-N junction diode and a thermionic tube

 Both have two terminals, that is; P and N terminals for a P-N junction diode, cathode and
anode for a thermionic tube.
 Both conduct electricity in only one direction that is on forward biasing.

Differences

Thermionic tube P-N junction diode

Operate on the principle of thermionic emission Operate on principle of attraction and repulsion
of conducting ions to reduce the depletion
region
Complicated to make Easy to make
expensive Cost effective
Voltage controlled Current controlled

Similarities between a BJT amplifier and a triode

 Both have three terminals

 Both can be used to amplify voltage signals

Differences

triode BJT amplifier

Voltage controlled Current controlled
Less efficient much more efficient
Require much more power as there are power can run at much lower power
losses through heat energy
Have little life times have very long lifetimes