Abstract
Experimental operation of a gyro-travelling wave amplifier with a helically corrugated interaction region is presented. Two thermionic cathode electron guns in Pierce-type geometries were used to generate rectilinear electron beams of 1 μs pulse duration. One diode was operated at 185 keV energy with a current of 7.5 A and the other was operated with an applied potential of 115 kV producing a current of 18 A. Transverse velocity was imparted to the electron beam in a 'kicker'. The electron beam acquired a transverse velocity typically with a pitch factor of between 1 and 1.2. The resulting electron beam described a helical, axis-encircling trajectory. The coupling between the second harmonic cyclotron mode of the gyrating electron beam and the radiation field occurred in the region of near infinite phase velocity over a broad frequency band using a cylindrical waveguide with a helical corrugation on its internal surface. With a beam energy of 185 keV, the amplifier achieved a maximum output power of 220 kW, saturated gain of 24 dB, saturated bandwidth of 8.4 to 10.4 GHz (21% relative bandwidth) and an efficiency of 16%. With a beam energy of 115 keV, the amplifier achieved a maximum output power of 160 kW and an efficiency of 8%.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Conference Digest of the 2004 Joint 29th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves and 12th International Conference on Terahertz Electionics |
| Place of Publication | New Jersey, USA |
| Publisher | IEEE |
| Pages | 273-274 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0780384903 |
| Publication status | Published - 2004 |
Keywords
- experimental operation
- gyro-travelling wave amplifier
- thermionic cathode electron guns
- electron beams
- pulse duration
- diode
- energy