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This project is an exploration of X-ray production from pulling scotch tape. You may not believe this, but hear me out. If you peel tape off a reel in vacuum at a few cm per second rate, megahertz of 10-40 keV X-rays are produced, which are approximately dental X-ray quality! X-ray imaging is easy! Could this replace the expensive equipment used in medical radiographs? Possibly... but first we have to understand how it all works! '''NOTE''': This project requires attention to X-ray radiation hazards.

This project is an exploration of X-ray production from pulling scotch tape. You may not believe this, but hear me out. If you peel tape off a reel ''in a vacuum ''(~10^-3 torr)'' ''at a few cm per second rate, megahertz of 10-40 keV X-rays are produced, which are approximately dental X-ray quality! X-ray imaging is easy! Could this replace the expensive equipment used in medical radiographs? Possibly... but first we have to understand how it all works!

X-rays from peeling tape

PeelingTape XRaysPeelingTape

NOTE: This project requires attention to X-ray radiation hazards.

This project is an exploration of X-ray production from pulling scotch tape. You may not believe this, but hear me out. If you peel tape off a reel in a vacuum (~10^-3 torr) at a few cm per second rate, megahertz of 10-40 keV X-rays are produced, which are approximately dental X-ray quality! X-ray imaging is easy! Could this replace the expensive equipment used in medical radiographs? Possibly... but first we have to understand how it all works!

The original paper,"Correlation between nanosecond X-ray flashes and stick–slip friction in peeling tape," Carlos G. Camara1,2, Juan V. Escobar1,2, Jonathan R. Hird1 & Seth J. Putterman, Nature 455, 1089-1092 (23 October 2008) | doi:10.1038/nature07378; Received 30 December 2007; Accepted 27 August 2008, had an almost immediate reaction. The Nature video to accompany it contains a less detailed but informative introduction to the strange effect.

This project requires vacuum and attention to X-ray radiation hazards.

Add your name here to participate:

  • Duncan Carlsmith
  • Sam Carman

None: X-rays from peeling tape (last edited 2015-05-22 20:37:13 by DuncanCarlsmith)