Build Cyclotron: Find 12" Neodymium Disc Magnet

[The_Brain]

I'm trying to build a small cyclotron and am thus searching for a magnet. I've been looking for a neodythium disc magnet that I could have cut in half to act as the two 'D' magnets in the cyclotron. The size of the magnet needs be somewhere around 12" in diameter but I can't seem to find anyplace that sells them around this size. If anyone knows where I could find some magnets or is willing to sell some of their own that would be great.

 

[Alexander]

A couple of advices.

1.Don't try to cut neodym alloy - you won't be able to do that at home (it is very and very hard alloy). Ferrite is a little better, but too brittle. So, just get 2 magnets instead.

2. If you can't find two large magnets (equipment surplus web places can be a good place to start a search - Ti ion vacuum pumps have quite big slabs of ferrite magnets), then buy many small magnets and make a big one.

 

[schwarzchildradius]

why don't you start with a high-voltage linear accelerator and see how that goes first? you just need a very strong tube, a pump, and a voltage difference from either transformer or van de graff generator.

 

[chroot]

The dees will need to be electromagnets, not permanent magnets.

- Warren

 

[schwarzchildradius]

That's true, they will. And you might want to consult relavant physics textbook for equations and etc.

 

[The_Brain]

Thanks for all of the responses. First off, I've already built a linear accelerater using my own voltage multiplier I made, a pump, etc. I also know all the equations for figuring out the frequency I need to alternate the current, what the velocity of the particle given a certain strength of a magnetic field is and the length of path taken, etc.

When I first started thinking about this, I too thought I needed elctromagnets but then my high school physics teacher told me I needed permanent magnets. Thus, I was hoping to find a strong neomydium magnet disc that I could have someone professionally cut into two parts so I could have my two dee magnets. I guess now I need to search out for electromagnets, so if anyone knows where some are, that would be great!

 

[Alexander]

Originally posted by chroot
The dees will need to be electromagnets, not permanent magnets.

- Warren

That is for synchrotron. For cyclotron an orbit just gets bigger and bigger with velocity.

 

[Alexander]

Originally posted by Alexander
That is for synchrotron, not cyclotron.

For cyclotron an orbit just gets bigger and bigger with velocity.

 

[chroot]

Originally posted by Alexander
That is for synchrotron. For cyclotron an orbit just gets bigger and bigger with velocity.

Er, uh...

You'll still need a strong permanent magnet to curve the paths of the particles (ions, electrons, etc.) in a cyclotron.

However, the poster was asking about the DEES -- which are, of course, not permanent magnets. They are, in fact, not magnets at all. The dees are two halves of a hollow metal disc, to which an oscillating electric potential is applied.

- Warren

 

[nbo10]

If only I would have read this a few hours before. I just tossed a huge electromagnet.

JMD