Annotated Bibliography
Yonathan Ayalew
Arjun Duggaraju
Abrams, R.H. Levush, B. Mondelli, A.A. Parker, R.K. Vacuum electronics for the 21st
century. Microwave Magazine, IEEE 2.3 (2001): 61-72. Print.
This is a great source that was found on the library journals page. This article appears in
Microwave Magazine. It gives the history and diversity of vacuum tube technology. It
explains how vacuum technologies work. It also discuses how the growth of satellite
based digital communication technology has allowed for greater commercial
opportunities for vacuum electronic amplifiers. This source gives a brief background and
explanation of vacuum technology.
Barbour, Eric. “How Vacuum Tubes Work.” Svetlana Web. n.p. 24 April 2011.
http://www.vacuumtubes.net/How_Vacuum_Tubes_Work.htm.
Excellent source explaining brief history, what goes in a basic vacuum tube, names of all
the parts and their function within the tube. Explains the assembly process of the vacuum
tube, various fields they are used in and why they are preferred. The source also goes on
to explain various ways of using the tubes and how to use them without much electrical
knowledge. Source is worthy for it contains basic information as well as in depth
information on how to use the tubes and what fields they are preferred is as well as why
they are preferred. Source is useable because it touches on every aspect of vacuum tubes
its covers information from history to proper use of the product without malfunction.
Collins, A. Frederick. "Vacuum Tubes." The Radio Amateur's Handbook. Revised by
Robert Herzberg. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.
This article focuses in on the history of vacuum tubes. It starts out by explaining what a
vacuum tube is and how it works. It expands on its explanation by discussing how the
electron technology works. In addition to an explanation it gives you a brief history on
key player of vacuum technology. It also sums up the benefits and drawbacks to vacuum
technology.
“Journal of vacuum science and technology.” AVS Publications. n.p. Web. 24 April
2011.
http://avspublications.org/jvsta/resource/1/jvtad6/v23/i4/p1252_s1?view=fulltext.
The website has many journals and a few specific to vacuum tubes. There is information
on the early years of vacuum tubes, production and history after 1970. Source is worthy
because it is a detailed article on industrial acceptance and expansion of the vacuum tube.
Source is not useful because there in no direct access to the entire article.
Annotated Bibliography
Yonathan Ayalew
Arjun Duggaraju
Lewis, Elmer Hugh. The ABC of vacuum tubes in radio reception. New York, NY: The
Norman W. Henley Publishing Co., 1922. Print.
This book is an excellent source for someone who has no idea what vacuum tubes are. It
explains what vacuum tubes are. It has pictures in the beginning with descriptions of
what the pictures are. The pictures are symbols that you would see in diagrams of
vacuum tubes. This is good for people who would look at these diagrams and would be
confused. It gives you a lot of details and a thorough explanation of this technology.
“How do solar vacuum tubes work.” http://www.solartubs.com/how-do-solar-vacuumtubes-work.html. Northern Lights Solar Solutions. Web. n.p. 24 April 2011.
Source is about a particular type of vacuum tube: Solar vacuum tube. Explains physical
construct, how it functions and there is also an explanation on efficiency above other
methods of gaining solar power. There is statistical data on the particular energy gains
because of the solar tube application. Source is worthy because it shows the physical
construction of the product, a particular area in the solar energy field they are used in and
how they are more helpful then other products. This is a useable source because there are
specific images and paragraphs explaining the basic parts of a vacuum tube which is
essential in relaying technical data to a lay audience.
Sibley, Ludwell. “The Vacuum Tube: The base and the asbestos hustle.” n.d. Web. 24
April 2011. http://www.antiquewireless.org/otb/vt0108.htm.
Source contains information on the controversial use of asbestos in making vacuum
tubes. The information focuses on different controversial and harmful elements used
since the invention of vacuum tubes by a specific company RCA. Also provides
information on non hazardous elements that can be used to make vacuum tubes. The
source focuses highly on the evolution of the vacuum tube within the industry. The
source is worthy because it points to the controversial use of vacuum tubes within
specific companies. This source is useful because it displays the cons of vacuum tubes
through out the history of the product.
“Solar hot water systems.” Alian Energy Solutions. n.p. Web. 24 April 2011.
http://www.alianenergy.co.uk/solar-hot-water.html.
This is a website of a company promoting solar energy in households in England. There
is information on why people should use solar water heating and how the technology
works within the confines of a household. There are also images and a detailed
description on how the tubes work to achieve their task of collecting solar energy to heat
water. Source is worthy because it has all the general information pertaining to the
function of vacuum tubes in the solar energy field. This source can be used because it
contains information focusing on a specific use for vacuum tubes. Also the site’s
Annotated Bibliography
Yonathan Ayalew
Arjun Duggaraju
information can be relayed easily to a lay audience such as a general consumer or house
owner.
Spangenberg, Karl Rudolph. Vacuum Tubes. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1948. Print.
This source is a source I found through the library under journals. It seems a little
outdated but it provides good background on vacuum tubes. It starts out by describing
what vacuum tubes are found in and how they are used. Understanding the background is
critical because to present on vacuum tubes, we need to understand how they work. This
might be the hardest resource to read through but provides a lot of good information.
Taylor, L.S. “A Thumbnail History of Electronics: Vacuum Tubes: Edison, Fleming, De
Forest, Coolidge, Schottky, Langmuir.” University of Maryland, Web. n.d. 24
April 2011. http://www.ece.umd.edu/~taylor/Electrons3.htm
This source comes from the Electrical Engineering department at the University of
Maryland. It provides information on some of the most key players in the advancement
of vacuum tube technology such as Edison, Fleming De Forest, Coolidge, Schottky, and
Langmuir. Most people do not know most of these people, but they all had some sort of
major contribution to vacuum technology. The explanation of their contributions is
rather short but it does provide us with their contributions. This source is great for out
“key contributors” section in our paper.
“The history of the integrated circuit”. Noble Prize. n.p. Web. 24 April 2011.
http://nobelprize.org/educational/physics/integrated_circuit/history/index.html.
The site is a history source on integrated circuits and it contains key figures that helped
develop the integrated circuit. There are multiple brief explanations on electric circuit,
vacuum tube versus transistors and modern day chip making. Source is worthy because it
explains the reason why vacuum tubes are no longer used in certain fields such as
computers. This source is useful because it has history of significant figures in the field of
integrated circuits that furthered the vacuum tube to accommodate their needs and also
the reasons behind the slow decline of the vacuum tube.
Tomer, Robert B. Getting the Most Out of Vacuum Tubes. First Edition. Indianapolis
New York: Howard W Sams & Co. Inc, The Bobbs Merrill Company Inc., 1960.
Print.
This book focuses on the technology of vacuum tubes and how technology fails. It does
not provide any history or background but it emphasizes on who he thinks uses this
technology most today (musicians, especially guitarists). It also explains why tubes fail;
it discusses what makes them fail and how to maintain them. It also discusses on how to
Annotated Bibliography
Yonathan Ayalew
Arjun Duggaraju
get the most use out of them; how to make sure they don’t fail before their time. This
book is easy to read and very down to earth.
“Vacuum Tubes: Vacuum Tube Types.” Solutions in Ceramic Technologies. n.p. Web.
24 April 2011. http://www.sct-ceramics.com/vacuum-tube-78-En.php.
Different types of vacuum tubes that are available and are being manufactured by this
particular company. Also there are explanations on how vacuum tubes work on different
applications such as x-rays and RF. Source is worthy and can be used because it is from a
company which has experts in the field of vacuum tubes explaining different types of
tubes, applications, and how they function in each field. The source contains information
which will be used because it has listed all of the different types of tubes and
applications.
Whitaker, Jerry C. Power of Vacuum Tubes Handbook. Second Edition. Boca Raton, FL:
CRC Press LLC, 1999. Print.
Like many of these other sources, this one start out with the development and
standardization of vacuum tubes. It then goes further and discusses vacuum tube
applications such as radar, navigation, induction heating and many different forms on
broadcasting such as FM, AM, TV, and shortwave. The main focus of this source is to
expand on the application of vacuum technology. In the following chapters it discusses
design, characteristics and design of vacuum tubes.
Zottola, Tino. Vacuum Tube Guitar and Bass Amplifier Theory. White Plains, NY:
PRO/AM Music Resources, Inc., 1995. Print.
This source focuses on the musical aspect of vacuum technologies. In the beginning, it
discusses the history of vacuum technologies. Then it goes into the operations of vacuum
tubes. It discusses Edison’s contribution to vacuum tubes. After it explains how vacuum
tubes work it explains how they contribute to the amplification of music. It discusses
different types of amplifiers and how music is actually amplifies using vacuum tubes.