An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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An → accelerator in which charged subatomic particles generated at a central source are accelerated to acquire energies up to several tens of millions of → electron-volts. The cyclotron consists of two flat, semicircular metal boxes or electrodes, called dees or D's because of their shape. An alternating electric field between the dees continuously accelerates the particles from one dee to the other, while the magnetic field bends their direction guiding them in a circular path. As the speed of the particles increases, so does the radius of their path, and the particles spiral outward. See also → cyclotron frequency, → synchrotron.

From cyclo- a combining form meaning → cycle + → -tron.

The frequency with which a → non-relativistic particle of charge q and mass m turns in a cyclotron with → uniform magnetic field B. The equality of the → centripetal force to the → Lorentz force leads to the expression: by: f_cycl = qB/2πm. For → relativistic case, the frequency is smaller and is called → synchrotron frequency.

→ cyclotron; → frequency.

Same as → Larmor radius.

→ cyclotron; → radius.