WILLIAMS TUBE Meaning and
Definition
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A Williams tube is an early form of computer memory storage device that was developed in the late 1940s. Named after its inventors Freddie Williams and Tom Kilburn, it was one of the first random-access memory (RAM) devices used in electronic computers. The Williams tube functioned using a cathode-ray tube (CRT), the same technology used in early television sets.
This memory device was composed of a vacuum tube containing a flat, rectangular faceplate coated with a thin layer of phosphor. The faceplate was divided into a grid of several hundred small dots. Each dot represented a bit of data, either a "1" or a "0". By passing a focused electron beam over the faceplate, the dots would be selectively illuminated, thereby writing the binary data onto the screen.
In order to read the information stored on the tube, a secondary electron would be generated at each illuminated dot. These secondary electrons would be collected by a metal mesh positioned in close proximity to the faceplate. By measuring the electric charge collected on the mesh, the data stored on the tube could be read.
The Williams tube had limited storage capacity and was volatile, meaning that its contents would be lost if the power supply was interrupted. However, it paved the way for more advanced memory technologies, including magnetic-core memory and solid-state memory, which are commonly used in modern computers.
Etymology of WILLIAMS TUBE
The word "Williams tube" is named after its inventors, Freddie Williams and Tom Kilburn. The Williams tube was an early form of computer memory device that used cathode ray tubes (CRTs) to store and retrieve electronic data. It was developed in the late 1940s at the University of Manchester in England, where Williams and Kilburn worked. The device was named after its inventors to honor their significant contributions to the field of computer technology.
