Cathode ray tube

The cathode ray tube or CRT, invented by Karl Ferdinand Braun, is the display device used in most computer displays, video monitors, televisions and oscilloscopes. The CRT developed from Philo Farnsworth's work was used in all television sets until the late 20th century and the advent of plasma screens, LCDs, DLP, OLED displays, and other technologies.

Magnets

Magnets should never be put next to a color CRT, as they may cause magnetization of the shadow mask, which will cause incorrect colors to appear in the magnetized area and may be expensive to have corrected. Most modern television sets and nearly all newer computer monitors have a built-in degaussing coil. This coil creates a brief, alternating magnetic field from standard 50 or 60 Hz household power upon power-up which decays in strength as a resistor in the circuit increases resistance with its increasing temperature as a result of the current passing through it. The alternating magnetic field created is sufficient enough to shake off most cases of shadow mask magnetization. It is also possible to purchase or to build your own external degaussing coil which can aid in demagnetizing older sets or in cases where the built-in coil was not effective. A soldering gun (a soldering iron will not work as it does not contain a large transformer which produces a large alternating magnetic field) may also be used to degauss a monitor by holding it up to the center of the monitor with the hot tip end facing safely AWAY from the glass (and yourself!) and while holding down the on button, slowly moving the gun in ever wider concentric circles past the edge of the monitor until the shimmering colors can no longer be seen. This may need to be repeated several times to remove severe magnetization.

Related Topics:
Magnet - Degauss - Soldering iron

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In extreme cases, high power magnets such as the now popular neodymium iron boron, or NIB magnets, can actually deform the shadow mask. This type of damage is considered permanent and will render the CRT mostly useless. However, subjecting an old black and white television or monochrome (green screen, amber screen) computer monitor to magnets is generally harmless. This can be used as a demonstration tool and children should even be encouraged to do this so that they may see the immediate and dramatic effect of a magnetic field on moving charged particles, provided they are informed to never do the same with a color tube.

Related Topics:
Neodymium - Iron - Boron - NIB magnets

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