Building a Betatron: Choosing the Right Tube & Acceleration Questions

[betameta]

I'm trying to build a betatron with the electron gun from a television.

What do you think would be the best material for the tube of the electron gun?

Also, do the electrons need to be accelerated further after being emitted from the electron gun, or do I just need to guide it with coils if the distance they need to travel isn't very large?

 

[berkeman]

I'm trying to build a betatron with the electron gun from a television.

What do you think would be the best material for the tube of the electron gun?

Also, do the electrons need to be accelerated further after being emitted from the electron gun, or do I just need to guide it with coils if the distance they need to travel isn't very large?

Whether you accelerate them more depends on what energy you are trying to achieve.

How are you pulling your vacuum? Have you worked with high vacuum and high voltage before? In what projects? You realize that you are working with pretty dangerous stuff, right? What precautions are you taking in your setup? Do you know what energies will start to involve an X-ray hazard? What kind of lab do you have, or are you doing this in your apartment/dorm?

 

[betameta]

Whether you accelerate them more depends on what energy you are trying to achieve.

How are you pulling your vacuum? Have you worked with high vacuum and high voltage before? In what projects? You realize that you are working with pretty dangerous stuff, right? What precautions are you taking in your setup? Do you know what energies will start to involve an X-ray hazard? What kind of lab do you have, or are you doing this in your apartment/dorm?

I know it's dangerous, but I'm not sure at what point the X-rays are a hazard. Would a dose rate up to 0.5 Gy/min be dangerous?

If I didn't accelerate the particles any further, but only turned them so they move in a circle, would the initial energies from the electron gun be enough to produce harmful X-rays?