omegatron
instrument
Quick Summary
The omegatron is a small instrument used to measure the masses of atomic particles. It operates on the principle of the cyclotron, where ions are held in stable orbits by electric and magnetic fields. In an omegatron, an oscillator's frequency is adjusted to match the rotation frequency of ions of a specific mass. This resonance increases the ions' momentum until they reach a detector, allowing their mass to be calculated directly from their frequency. This device is often used to analyze residual gases in a vacuum system.12
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