Stern-Gerlach ExperimentPhysics 243 Fall 2007
Chris OsbornDaniel Richman
Status Report
• Components of the experiment• Gradus ad parnassum• Current stage• Degas?
Components
detector – reads current from ions from potassium oven
Components
handle for detection rotation
Components
electromagnet
driving coils
Components
mechanical pump
Components
diffusion pump
water cooling pipes
Components
potassium oven
Components
pressure gauge via ionization
Components
ionization gauge
pressure gauge
thermocouple gauge
electrometer
magnet power supply
Gradus ad parnassum• Evacuate chamber
– mechanical to 10-2 mbar– diffusion to 4x10-5 mbar (with cooling)
• Potassium oven– load potassium under nitrogen pressure– heat to 180 oC – 250 oC
• Detect beam of particles– Do we have a collimated/directed beam?– Why aren’t we seeing a current on
electrometer?• no consistent behavior of electrometer
Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917)
Draughtsman, Painter, Sculptor
A founder of the Impressionists, though he rejected the label