Vermes
Advanced Member level 4
Ionic X-ray tubes were first practical source of X-rays made by men. Because of their specific disadvantages, they were changed in XX century into Coolidge tubes, with high vacuum and heated cathode.
A self-made ionic X-ray tube is presented here. There's no need to keep constant pressure in it during long hours of working and it's quite beneficial. The cathode is properly cut beer can bottom. It is necessary to clean in from the dirt before using.
Then, the mirror of such focus should be specified. It can be easily made by lighting on it and searching with a sheet, where a sharp point is. This action can tell exactly how far from the cathode a sloping anticathode of tantalum should be placed. An anode placed in side enables easier ignition of the tube.
While making the tube, only a rotating pump was used. Also a getter was useful, because without it, that wouldn't be possible to reach proper vacuum. The getter was dusted carefully, to swallow as much gas as it's necessary for the tube to work properly. A bar getter can once swallow too big amount of gas, so the tube is too 'hard'. That is why it's better to use another type of getter, which swallows gas only when it's warm (few hundreds Celsius degrees).
The ready tube gives visible shadows of items on strengthening film to the plates. However, it's not easy to take a picture of it.
Link to original thread – Jonowa lampa rentgenowska