Projects per year
Abstract
Backward Wave Oscillators (BWO's) utilizing moderately relativistic (550kV), high-current (10 kA) electron beams are capable of producing hundreds of MWs of pulsed radiation in the centimeter wavelength range. Such relativistic BWOs (RBWOs) allow for broadband, smooth, frequency-tuning via adjustment of the accelerating potential; making them an attractive source for use in frequency-swept pulse compression. This paper presents results of a 2.86m long 5-fold helically corrugated, dispersive pulse compressor where a maximum power compression ratio of 25 was achieved by compressing an input microwave pulse of 80 ns duration swept from 9.65 GHz to 9.05 GHz into a 1.6ns Gaussian-envelope pulse. For an average input power of 5.8 kW generated by a conventional traveling wave tube amplifier, a peak pulse output power of 145 kW was measured corresponding to an energy efficiency of 66%. An X-band relativistic BWO, designed to drive a 0.97m long 5-fold compressor, was built and tested using the accelerating potential generated by a SINUS-6 highcurrent accelerator. The experimental RBWO operated close to the predicted power of 700MW with its oscillation frequency varied from 10 to 9.6GHz via the falling edge of the voltage pulse. It was demonstrated that the 15ns duration frequency-swept part of the RBWO pulse was effectively compressed resulting in a 4.5-fold peak power increase with a maximum power of 3.2 GW generated. The potential for a 5-fold helical waveguide to compress longer duration pulses generated by a RBWO is discussed.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | 2017 IEEE 21st International Conference on Pulsed Power, PPC |
Place of Publication | Piscataway, N.J. |
Publisher | IEEE |
Number of pages | 4 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781509057481 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 13 Feb 2018 |
Event | 21st IEEE International Conference on Pulsed Power - the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton, United Kingdom Duration: 18 Jun 2017 → 22 Jun 2017 Conference number: 21 |
Conference
Conference | 21st IEEE International Conference on Pulsed Power |
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Abbreviated title | PPC 2017 |
Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Brighton |
Period | 18/06/17 → 22/06/17 |
Keywords
- high power microwave
- BWO
- Relativistic Backward Wave Oscillator
- pulse compression
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Periodic GW level microwave pulses in X-band from a combination of a relativistic backward wave oscillator and a helical waveguide compressor'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Gyrotron Travelling Wave Amplifier for high field Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
Cross, A. (Principal Investigator), He, W. (Co-investigator) & Ronald, K. (Co-investigator)
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/06/13 → 30/11/16
Project: Research
Research output
- 1 Citations
- 3 Article
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Generation of 3 GW microwave pulses in X-band from a combination of a relativistic backward-wave oscillator and a helical-waveguide compressor
Bratman, V. L., Denisov, G. G., Kolganov, N. G., Mishakin, S. V., Samsonov, S. V., Cross, A. W., He, W., Zhang, L., McStravick, M., Whyte, C. G., Young, A. R., Ronald, K., Robertson, C. W. & Phelps, A. D. R., Nov 2010, In: Physics of Plasmas. 17, 11, 3 p., 110703.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
40 Citations (Scopus) -
Experimental results on microwave pulse compression using helically corrugated waveguide
McStravick, M., Samsonov, S. V., Ronald, K., Mishakin, S. V., He, W., Denisov, G. G., Whyte, C. G., Bratman, V. L., Cross, A. W., Young, A. R., MacInnes, P., Robertson, C. W. & Phelps, A. D. R., 15 Sept 2010, In: Journal of Applied Physics. 108, 5, p. - 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
16 Citations (Scopus) -
Compression of frequency-modulated pulses using helically corrugated waveguides and its potential for generating multigigawatt rf radiation
Samsonov, S. V., Phelps, A. D. R., Bratman, V. L., Burt, G., Denisov, G. G., Cross, A. W., Ronald, K., He, W. & Yin, H., 18 Mar 2004, In: Physical Review Letters. 92, 11, 4 p., 118301.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
99 Citations (Scopus)