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

degas button?

Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917)

Draughtsman, Painter, Sculptor

A founder of the Impressionists, though he rejected the label