JAI GURU DEV

MAHARISHI INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
(ACADEMIC YEAR-2023-2024)

TOPIC: CYCLOTRON

NAME: HARSHA.B
CLASS: XII
SECTION: A1

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 INDEX

1)AIM
2)INTRODUCTION
3)THEORY
4)PRINCIPLE
5)CONSTRUCTION
6)WORKING
7)CONCLUSION
8)APPLICATIONS
9)DISADVANTAGES
10)PRECAUTIONS
11)BIBILOGRAPHY

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1) AIM:
This investigatory project is to give a
brief description about Cyclotron.

2) INTRODUCTON:
A Cyclotron is a kind of circular
particle accelerator invented by E.O
Lawrence and M.S Livingston and
devised it in 1934 to examine the
nuclear structure.in a cyclotron, a
charged particle is accelerated along a
spiral path under the action of static
magnetic field and alternating electric
field. The electric field is generated by

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high frequency voltage. The frequency
of the alternating voltage is matched
with cyclotron frequency for the
charged particle and generally, it is kept
constant.

3) THEORY:
The theory of cyclotron is based on
the interaction of a charged particle
with electric and magnetic fields.
Let a particle of charge q and mass
m enter a region of magnetic field B
with a velocity V, normal to the field B.
The particle follows a circular path, the
necessary centripetal force being

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provided by the magnetic field.
Therefore,
r = mv/qB

Hence the frequency of revolution

of the particle will be
fc = 1/T = qB/2πm

Clearly, this frequency is independent

of both the velocity of the particle and
the radius of the orbit and is called
cyclotron frequency or magnetic
resonance frequency. This is the key
fact which is made use of in the
operation of a cyclotron.
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4) PRINCIPLE:
A charged particle can be accelerated
to very high energies by making it pass
through a moderate electric field a
number of times. This can be done with
the help of a perpendicular magnetic
field which throws the charged particle
into a circular motion, the frequency of
which does not depend on the speed of
the particle and the radius of the
circular orbit.

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5) CONSTRUCTION:

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 As shown in fig , a cyclotron
consists of the following main parts:
1. It consists of two small, hollow,
metallic half cylinders D1 and D2,
called dees as they are in the shape
of D.
2.They are mounted inside a vacuum
chamber between the poles of a
powerful electromagnet.
3.The dees are connected to the
source of high frequency
alternating voltage of few hundred
kilovolts.
4.The beam of charged particles to
be accelerated is injected into the
dees near the centre, in a plane
perpendicular to the magnetic field.
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 5.The charged particles are pulled
out of the dees by a deflecting
plate(which is negatively charged)
through a window W.
6.The whole device is in high
vacuum(pressure ~10^-6 mm of
Hg) so that the air molecules may
not collide with the charged
particles.

6) WORKING:
Suppose a positive ion, say a proton,
enters the gap between the two dees
and finds D1,to be negative. It gets
accelerated towards D1, it does not
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experience any electric field due to
shielding effect of the metallic dee.
The perpendicular magnetic field
throws it into a circular path. At the
instant the proton comes out of the
dee D1, it finds dee D1 positive and
D2 negative. It now gets accelerated
towards dee D2. It moves faster
through D2 describing a larger
semicircle than before. Thus if the
frequency of the applied voltage is
kept exactly the same as the
frequency of revolution of the
proton, then every time when the
proton reaches the gap between the
two dees, the electric field is
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reversed and proton receives a push and
finally it acquires very high energy.
This is called cyclotron’s resonance
condition. The proton follows a spiral
path. The accelerated proton is ejected
through a window by a deflecting
voltage and hits the target.

7) CONCLUSION:
A cyclotron is a device which propels
charged particles on a spiral-like path
from the centre of a flat cylindrical
vacuum chamber. The rapidly
fluctuating electric field accelerating
the particle while the static magnetic
field keeps them on a spiral path.
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 Due to cyclotrons using the same
accelerating gap, again and again, it is
space and cost-efficient. There are some
disadvantages of a cyclotron device
listed in the project which make it
incapable to speed up the particles at a
large rate.

8) APPLICATIONS:
1.The high energy particles
produced in a cyclotron are used to
bombard nuclei and study the resulting
nuclear reactions and hence investigate
nuclear structure.

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 2.The high energy particles are used
to produce other high energy particles,
such as neutrons, by collisions. These
fast neutrons are used in atomic
reactors.
3.It is used to implant ions into solids
and modify their properties or even
synthesise new materials.
4.It is used to produce radioactive
isotopes which are used in hospitals for
diagnosis and treatment.

9) DISADVANTAGES:

1. According to the Einstein’s

special theory of relativity, the
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 mass of a particle increases with the
increase in its velocity as

m = m’/(1-v^2/c^2)^½
where m’ is the rest mass of the
particle. At high velocities, the
cyclotron frequency(fc = qB/2πm) will
decrease due to increase in mass. This
will throw the particles out of resonance
with oscillating field. That is , as the
ions reach the gap between the dees, the
polarity of the dees is not reversed at
the instant. Consequently the ions are
not accelerated further.
The above drawback is overcome
either by increasing magnetic field as in
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synchroton or by decreasing the
frequency of the alternating electric
field as in synchro-cyclotron.
2. Electrons cannot be accelerated
in a cyclotron. A large increase in their
energy increases their velocity to a very
large extent. This throws the electrons
out of step with the oscillating field.
3. Neutrons, being electrically
neutral, cannot be accelerated in a
cyclotron.

10) PRECAUTIONS:
1. Radiation safety:
Cyclotrons produce ionizing
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radiation, so proper shielding and safety
measures are crucial to protect workers
and the environment.
2. Maintenance and inspection:
Regular maintenance and inspection
of the cyclotron system are necessary to
ensure its proper functioning and
minimize potential hazards.
3. Emergency procedures:
Well defined procedures for dealing
with emergencies, such as equipment
malfunctions or radiation leaks, should
be established and communicated to all
personnel.
4. Environmental controls:

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 Cyclotron facilities should have
effective ventilation systems to control
the dispersion of radioactive materials
and maintain safe working conditions.

11) BIBILOGRAPHY:
1.S.L.ARORA
2.XAM IDEA
3.GOOGLE
4.CHAT GPT

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THANK
YOU

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