how to make Lichtenberg figures at home

[eub]

http://www.sgsmp.ch/lichtenberg.htm

Acrylic is easy to get hold of - but a high energy electron beam? This is when being a medical physicist is definitely an advantage - at least if one is working in radiation therapy: we all use high energy electrons from a linear accelerator to treat patients, either directly, or to produce x-rays for treatment. If you are in this lucky situation, you should not rush to repeat our experiments, however: the dose rate available in clinical mode is insufficient to build up a sufficient charge within a short enough time; not all linear accelerators on the market are suitable for this exercise - and the suitable ones need to be modified. You must not try to repeat our experiments with a linac due to treat patients the next day - unless you have a large number of expensive spare parts sitting on your shelves.

Look at the effect of the light field mirror (left) and the monitor chamber (right) to know why. The effect on the electronics was less easy to document - but similarly impressive! The next time you decommission your Varian Clinac 2100 (I cannot comment on other manufacturers' linacs), however, this is your chance.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU REPEAT THE PROCEDURE DESCRIBED BELOW ON A LINEAR ACCELERATOR WHICH IS STILL IN CLINICAL USE !

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Okay, no. This one is the at-home one, for those of you who have laser power supplies in your home. Please post pictures.

Comments

[hattifattener]

Huh. I do have a laser power supply in a box somewhere around here. I wonder if it would work; I don't think it goes up to 10 kV. (Elsewhere I have a 1960-s era high voltage supply that weighs probably 150 pounds and I'm afraid to power it up because I have no idea if the insulation's good. But it has some really cool high voltage rectifier tubes.)

[cheesepuppet.livejournal.com]

I do have a laser power supply in a box somewhere around here.

OF COURSE YOU DO.

[eub.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know you do, that's why I'm eyeing you in that egging-on kind of way.

I don't think it goes up to 10 kV.

Hammer nails closer together?

[hattifattener]

Ah. Er, yes.

I don't know if hammering the nails closer together would help much, if this is similar to "tracking", there's probably a threshold of some sort.

I could probably extend the Cockroft-Walton stage of the power supply and get more voltage at lower current. Or I could just build a giant Marx generator!

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

There are some awesome other pages on high-voltage destructiveness.
http://205.243.100.155/frames/shrinkergallery.html
is one of my favorites.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Hmm...UW surplus? YOu never know what they might have for sale. No guarantee it would be in working order, though.

[cheesepuppet.livejournal.com]

God, thanks Eli, I've been wondering what the hell I'm going to do with this decommissioned linear accelerator. I mean, I was going to give it to the kids to mess with, but NOW....

Seriously though, those are incredibly beautiful.