डॉ. बी.आर.

अंबेडकर राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान, जालंधर

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
GT Road Bypass, Jalandhar-144008, Punjab (India)
Under Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, New Delhi

Deflection of Electrons in a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

A Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) is a device which works by using a stream of electrons to create visible
light on a phosphorescent screen. It was widely used in older television sets, computer monitors, and
oscilloscopes for displaying images and visual data.
1. Construction of Cathode Ray Tube: The major components of CRT are:
a. Evacuated Glass Envelope
b. Electron Gun Assembly
c. Deflection Plate Assembly
d. Phosphor coated fluorescent screen

Fig 1: Schematic of cathode ray tube showing its major components

The electron gun assembly consists of a heater to indirectly heat the cathode, a control grid, focusing
anode and accelerating anode. The purpose of the electron gun assembly is to provide a source of
electrons, converged and focused into a well-defined beam, which is accelerated towards the
fluorescent screen.

2. Types of Deflection: There are two primary types of deflection in CRTs:

a. Electrostatic Deflection: Electrostatic deflection uses electric fields to deflect the
electron beam within the CRT.
Mechanism: This method involves applying high-voltage electric fields to the plates
(electrodes) placed near the electron gun. By varying the electric potential between
these plates, the electron beam is deflected in the desired direction.

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 डॉ. बी.आर.अंबेडकर राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान, जालंधर
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
GT Road Bypass, Jalandhar-144008, Punjab (India)
Under Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, New Delhi

b. Magnetic Deflection: Magnetic deflection uses magnetic fields generated by coils placed
around the CRT to control the electron beam’s path.
Mechanism: In this system, magnetic fields are generated by electromagnets (deflection
coils) placed around the neck of the CRT. These coils create magnetic fields that
interact with the electron beam, causing it to deflect in the horizontal and vertical
directions.

 Derive an expression for the deflection of electrons in the CRT due to electric field.

Consider two deflecting plates of length ‘L’ and having plate difference ‘s’. Let ‘R’ be the distance
between the screen and the centre of the plate as shown. Let ‘θ’ be the angle of deflection from the
centre of the plates as shown. Let ‘h’ be the small distance from one end of the plate to the line joining
the screen and electron as shown.

Consider that the electrons enter the deflection plates with an initial velocity (𝒗), where this velocity is
acquired by the electrons as a result of being accelerated by the pre-accelerating anode.

Using the conservation of energy, at the point where electron leaves the pre-accelerating anode having
potential 𝑽𝒂 :
𝟏
𝒎𝒗𝟐 = 𝒒𝑽𝒂
𝟐

𝟐 𝟐𝒒𝑽𝒂
→𝒗= √ (𝟏. 𝟏)
𝒎

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 डॉ. बी.आर.अंबेडकर राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान, जालंधर
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
GT Road Bypass, Jalandhar-144008, Punjab (India)
Under Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, New Delhi

After the electrons leave the electron gun assembly at a speed given by Eq. (1.1), they enter and pass
through a region controlled by the deflection plates.
The deflection action of the plates depends on the intensity of the electric field(𝑬𝒅 ) between the
deflection plates given by
𝑽
𝑬𝒅 = 𝒅
𝒔

where 𝑽𝒅 = voltage due to the deflection plates.

This field will exert a force on the electrons, deviating the beam from a straight line trajectory.
𝒒𝑽𝒅
𝑭𝒅 = 𝒒𝑬𝒅 = = 𝒎𝒂𝒚
𝒔
𝒒𝑽𝒅
→ Acceleration along y-axis, 𝒂𝒚 = (𝟏. 𝟐)
𝒎𝒔

Using the equation of motion for calculating the distance travelled

𝟏
𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 + 𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝟐
We know that the initial velocity=0 t= time a= acceleration

𝟏
The expression becomes 𝒔 = 𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝟐

Using the above expression for calculating the vertical distance(h) travelled by the electron
𝒒𝑽𝒅 𝒕𝟐
𝒉= (𝟏. 𝟑)
𝟐𝒎𝒔

where t is the time required for electron to pass through the plates, given by
𝑳
𝒕=𝒗

Substituting it in the above equation in (𝟏. 𝟑)

𝒅𝒒𝑽 𝑳𝟐
𝒉 = 𝟐𝒎𝒔𝒗 𝟐

Substituting the value of 𝒗 from eqn (𝟏. 𝟏)

𝑳𝟐 𝑽𝒅
We get, 𝒉= (𝟏. 𝟒)
𝟒𝒗𝒂 𝒔

Using small angle approximation i.e. 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜽 ≈ 𝜽

𝒉 𝟐𝒉 𝒚
𝜽= 𝑳 = 𝑳 =𝑹
𝟐

𝟐𝒉𝑹
𝒚= 𝑳

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 डॉ. बी.आर.अंबेडकर राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान, जालंधर
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
GT Road Bypass, Jalandhar-144008, Punjab (India)
Under Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, New Delhi

𝑹𝑳𝑽𝒅
𝒚=
𝟐𝑽𝒂 𝒔

𝑽𝒅 𝟐𝒗𝒂 𝒔
=
𝒚 𝑹𝑳

𝑽𝒅
The term is referred to as deflection sensitivity and is defined as voltage required per unit
𝒚
deflection.

Practice Question:
1. In a CRT, the separation between the deflection plates is 6 mm, length of the plates is 3 cm,
distance between the screen and the centre point of the deflection plates is 10 cm. If
accelerating potential applied to anode is 1000V, the beam is deflected by 2 cm on the screen.
What is the applied deflection voltage? Calculate the deflection sensitivity of the CRT. (Ans:The
applied deflection voltage is 40 V. The deflection sensitivity is 0.0005 m/V or 0.5 mm/V.)

 Derive an expression for calculating the curvature of electrons in the CRT in a

magnetic field.

Principle: The motion of the electron beam is influenced by the Lorentz Force, which acts when the
electron interacts with a magnetic field.
𝑭 = −𝒆(𝒗⃗ × 𝑩 ⃗⃗ )

F= Force on electron
e= charge on electron
⃗ = velocity of an electron
𝒗
⃗𝑩
⃗ = magnetic field

Magnetic field acts perpendicular to the velocity. Therefore, force

F will change the path of electron making a circular path.
The magnitude force will serve as the centripetal force in the
electron i.e.
𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑭= (𝟏. 𝟓)
𝒓
Also
⃗ × ⃗𝑩
𝑭 = −𝒆(𝒗 ⃗)
𝑭 = −𝒆𝒗𝑩 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟗𝟎°
𝑭 = −𝒆𝒗𝑩 (𝟏. 𝟔)

From (𝟏. 𝟓) & (𝟏. 𝟔) we get,

𝒎𝒗
𝒓= 𝒆𝑩

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 डॉ. बी.आर.अंबेडकर राष्ट्रीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान, जालंधर
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
GT Road Bypass, Jalandhar-144008, Punjab (India)
Under Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, New Delhi

Key Differences:
Features Magnetic Deflection Electric Deflection

Method of Uses magnetic fields to deflect charged Uses electric fields to deflect
Deflection particles. charged particles.

Type of Large-scale deflection systems (TV, Small-scale, precision applications

Applications oscilloscopes, accelerators). (SEM, CRO).

Typical Use in Deflects electron beam over large areas Fine control in high-precision
CRT (TV, monitors). displays (oscilloscopes).

Perpendicular to both the magnetic field

Force Direction Parallel to the electric field direction.
and velocity.

Magnetic fields control beam direction Electric fields control beam precision
Control
and focus. and speed.

Submitted by: 24117008,24117009,24117023,24117028,24103147

Submitted to: Dr. Ravi Verma

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