Optimization of the parameters of a virtual-cathode oscillator with an inhomogeneous magnetic field

A two-dimensional numerical model is used to study the generation of powerful microwave radiation in a vircator with an inhomogeneous magnetic field applied to focus a beam. The characteristics of the external inhomogeneous magnetic field are found to strongly affect the vircator generation characteristics. Mathematical optimization is used to search for the optimum parameters of the magnetic periodic focusing system of the oscillator in order to achieve the maximum power of the output microwave radiation. The dependences of the output vircator power on the characteristics of the external inhomogeneous magnetic field are studied near the optimum control parameters. The physical processes that occur in optimized virtual cathode oscillators are investigated.     

Influence of external nonuniform magnetic field on the spectral characteristics of a virtual cathode oscillator’s output radiation

The influence of an external non-uniform magnetic field created using a periodic magnetic focusing system on the spectral characteristics of a virtual cathode oscillator’s output radiation is investigated by means of numerical simulation. It is shown that raising the magnetization intensity of a single magnetic ring or the number of magnetic rings leads to an increase in the output microwave radiation power spectrum’s irregularity. As consequence, the output microwave signal exhibits wide-band oscillations with a bandwidth close to one octave.     

The effect of an external signal on output microwave power of a low-voltage vircator

This Letter is devoted to results of the both experimental and theoretical studies of electromagnetic radiation output power gain in the low-voltage microwave generator with a virtual cathode (vircator) under an external harmonic signal leading to the preliminary velocity modulation of the electron beam. The simple theoretical model of the electron beam with virtual cathode in a diode gap with retarding field under the external signal has been developed. The theoretical and numerical analysis have shown the possibility of power amplification in the vircator under the external influence. Obtained results of the theoretical consideration are proven by the experimental study.     

虚阴极振荡激励高功率微波的数值模拟

模拟了轴对称虚阴极振荡器产生微波的过程。根据实验装置的特点,建立了理想的物理模型。从物理学的基本规律出发,用CIC方法编制了二维空间、三个动量分量的2 1/2维、全电磁、相对论性的数值模拟程序。选择柱状电子束进行模拟,获得了正确的计算结果和清晰的物理图象,并对计算结果作了分析。     

Numerical study of chaotic oscillations in the electron beam with virtual cathode in the external non-uniform magnetic fields

In this Letter the results of theoretical investigations of the chaotic microwave oscillator based on the electron beam with a virtual cathode are presented. Nonlinear non-stationary processes in these electron systems are studied by means of numerical analysis of 2.5D model. It was discovered that the non-uniform external magnetic field value controls the dynamical regime of oscillations in the virtual cathode oscillator. The processes of the chaotization of output microwave radiation are described and interpreted from the point of view of the formation and interaction of electron structures (bunches) in the electron beams. The numerical results have shown that the investigated electron system with virtual cathode could be considered as a promising controlled source of wideband chaotic oscillations in the microwave range.     

Numerical simulations of the reditron

The reflected-electrons discrimination microwave generator (reditron) is a high-power, narrow-band, and single-mode microwave generator that makes exclusive use of the oscillatory character of the virtual-cathode of a relativistic electron beam. The complex, nonlinear character of the virtual-cathode device necessitates particle-in-cell plasma simulation techniques. Investigations indicate two sources of the radiation: (1) the trapped electrons reflexing between the real and virtual cathodes, and (2) the oscillation of the virtual cathode. In the conventional design, the two mechanisms coexist and interfere with each other destructively, causing degradation of the efficiency of microwave generation. The authors have investigated a configuration with a slotted, thick anode and an external magnetic field, which effectively eliminates the reflexing electrons. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations showed that such a configuration exploits the oscillation of the virtual cathode exclusively, and it generates single-mode, narrow bandwidth, and high-power microwave radiation with a potential efficiency over 10%. It was found that further optimization could be achieved by the use of a density (current) modulated electron beam at appropriate frequencies     

虚阴极振荡微波辐射

本文概述在EPA-74脉冲线加速器上进行的虚阴极振荡微波辐射实验。1kA,400keV的电子束流经短磁线圈聚焦形成虚阴极,产生波长在6.2～11.5mm的微波辐射,峰值功率约1MW。从提高效率考虑,拟采用特殊设计的实验结构,以形成多级虚阴极振荡。     

阴极帽结构L波段相对论磁控管的效率提升

提出了一种具有阴极帽结构的L波段相对论磁控管的设计方案,并给出了数值模拟结果。在相对论磁控管中引入阴极帽是为了降低轴向泄露电流并提高功率转换效率。三维粒子模拟用于研究引入阴极帽后产生的影响。结果显示,当在束波互作用区域的上游和下游同时添加阴极帽,并且将阴极延伸出阳极块结构,直至衍射输出结构时,轴向泄露电流不仅会从1 kA降至72 A,且功率转换效率会有明显提高。虽然如此,阴极帽的引入除了以上优点外,同样会带来微波反射。因此,阴极帽的半径和位置对于效率有至关重要的影响,它们之间存在一个最优数值来保证效率最高。当电压为563 kV, 磁场为0.34 T时,轴向衍射输出结构L波段相对论磁控管输出微波功率为2.13 GW,频率为1.59 GHz,相应的功率转换效率为75.5%。     

Dynamics of an electron beam with a virtual cathode in a vircator without a magnetic field and with drift space filled by neutral gas

The physical processes in a vircator without an external magnetic field and with a drift space filled by neutral gas are studied. Three typical dynamic regimes are found: (1) the suppression of virtual cathode oscillations, (2) pulse generation, in which the suppression and resumption of virtual cathode oscillations are observed, and (3) continuous virtual cathode generation. The frequency dynamics of the vircator’s output radiation is investigated for the last case, and it is shown that the generation frequency of the vircator can rise when the gas pressure exceeds a certain critical value.     

Effect of external magnetic field on critical current for the onset of virtual cathode oscillations in relativistic electron beams

In this Letter we research the space charge limiting current value at which the oscillating virtual cathode is formed in the relativistic electron beam as a function of the external magnetic field guiding the beam electrons. It is shown that the space charge limiting (critical) current decreases with growth of the external magnetic field, and that there is an optimal induction value of the magnetic field at which the critical current for the onset of virtual cathode oscillations in the electron beam is minimum. For the strong external magnetic field the space charge limiting current corresponds to the analytical relation derived under the assumption that the motion of the electron beam is one-dimensional [D.J. Sullivan, J.E. Walsh, E. Coutsias, in: V.L. Granatstein, I. Alexeff (Eds.), Virtual Cathode Oscillator (Vircator) Theory, in: High Power Microwave Sources, vol. 13, Artech House Microwave Library, 1987, Chapter 13]. Such behavior is explained by the characteristic features of the dynamics of electron space charge in the longitudinal and radial directions in the drift space at the different external magnetic fields.     

The Study of a Reflex Oscillator Used to Generate High-Power Microwaves

The operation of a high-power short-pulse microwave generator is being studied both experimentally and computationally. The device is a reflex triode which uses a real and a virtual cathode. The operating voltage is 500 kV with an electrical power input of 18 GW and a microwave output power of 200-300 MW at frequencies ranging from 6 to 9 GHz for up to 50 ns. Microwave power is extracted axially in an 85-mm-diameter waveguide with an overall efficiency of 1.5 percent. We will discuss the effects of electron beam quality on output efficiency. Temporal behavior of the output shows a frequency chirping with time which can be related to the voltage and current profiles. Comparing the microwave output at 900 shows azimuthal symmetry. Oscillator behavior when immersed in an external magnetic field, with field strength ranges from 0 to 1.2 kG, will be discussed. Also, computer simulations show that, although the virtual-cathode and reflexing-electron frequencies can be different, a frequency locking can occur, resulting in a purer frequency spectrum with a higher power. Simulations at 2 MeV show microwave output efficiencies of up to 4 percent with peak powers approaching 10 GW.     

Dependence of Output Power on Cavity Length in a Gyrotron Backward Wave Oscillator

A relativistic electron beam (500 keV, 200 A, 10 ns) generated magnetically tunable microwave radiation in a frequency range of 9-13 GHz when it is injected into an X-band rectangular waveguide immersed in a uniform axial magnetic field (4-10 kG). The mechanism of the microwave radiation was identified as the gyrotron backward wave interaction. The output power of the radiated microwave increased exponentially with the increase of the cavity length.     

Development of the relativistic backward wave oscillator with a permanent magnet

Firstly, an X-band relativistic backward wave oscillator with a low guiding magnetic field is simulated, whose output microwave power is 520 MW. Then, an experiment is carried out on an accelerator to investigate a relativistic backward wave oscillator with a permanent magnetic field whose strength is 0.46 T. When the energy of the electron is 630 keV and the current of the electron beam is 6.7 kA, a 15 ns width pulsed microwave with 510 MW output power at 8.0 GHz microwave frequency is achieved.     

Feasibility Study of Axially- Extracted Virtual Cathode Oscillator

In this paper, we have analyzed the design parameters of the axially - extracted virtual cathode oscillator, which is high-power microwave source based on the concept of the virtual cathode associated with the intense relativistic electrons beam oscillations in the electrostatic potential well. The microwave emission by the virtual cathode oscillator results from both the space and time oscillations of virtual cathode and reflexing electrons trapped in the potential well between the virtual and real cathodes. In the X-band frequency spectrum 700 MW microwave peak power has been obtained analytically by the solid electron beam of 300 kV and 20 kA for feasible design parameters. The analysis has been performed by 2-dimensional, relativistic, electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation code XOOPIC.     

相对论磁控管的实验研究

简要分析了相３对论磁控管的主要特点与问题，编制了谐振系统数值计算程序，通过数值计算与冷测，对不同阴极尺寸与输出结构的磁控管进行了研究，清晰地描述了磁控管的振荡模式与简并现象。制作了Ａ６型相对论磁控管并进行了热测实验，研究了输出功率与工作磁场的关系，经过大量优化工作，在Ｓ波段获得了３８０ＭＷ的微波辐射。     

Resonance Radiative Collision of Charged Particles in an External Magnetic Field

We analyze bremsstrahlung due to collision of a relativistic electron with an ion in an external longitudinal magnetic field. Within the framework of the perturbation method, a general expression for the electric field of radiation is derived. It is shown that the magnitude of the resonance peak of the spectral line is determined by the small dissipative force of radiation reaction. The influence of the external field on the specific intensity and polarization of the wave is analyzed in detail.     

Gyrotron Backward Wave Oscillator Experiments with a Relativistic Electron Beam Using an X-Band Rectangular Waveguide

A mildly relativistic electron beam (500keV, 200A, 10ns) injected into an X-band rectangular waveguide immersed in a uniform axial magnetic field (4-10kG) produced magnetically tunable microwave radiation in the 9-13 GHz frequency range with an estimated output power of 1MW. The frequency range and tunability of the radiated microwave agreed with a theoretical model for a gyrotron backward wave oscillator taking into account the low energy component of the beam electron.     

Experimental investigation of a compact relativistic magnetron with axial TE₁₁ mode radiation

As one of the relativistic electron tubes having compact configuration and high efficient output,the relativistic magnetron with direct axial radiation is very attractive in pulsed power and high power microwave fields for industrial and military applications.In this paper,the experimental investigation of a relativistic magnetron with axial TE 11 mode radiation is reported.Under a total length of ～ 0.3 m,volume of ～ 0.014 m 3,working at an applied voltage of 508 kV and a magnetic field of ～ 0.31 T,the relativistic magnetron radiates a microwave of 540 MW with the TE 11 mode at 2.35 GHz in the axial direction.The power conversion efficiency is 15.0%.After a lot of shots,the detected amplitudes of microwaves are nearly the same.The fluctuations of wave amplitudes are less than 0.3 dB.     

单电子束双波段同轴相对论返波管粒子模拟

设计了一种能在C波段和X波段实现稳定双频输出的带有非对称谐振反射腔的单电子束同轴相对论返波振荡器。采用耦合阻抗跃变型慢波结构,使用粒子PIC模拟软件进行了粒子模拟研究。模拟结果显示:轴向电场在系统中的分布得到改进,电子束的能散得到改善。在电子束电压511 kV,电流8.95 kA,引导磁场0.73 T的条件下,双频器件实现了8.09 GHz和9.91 GHz的双波段频率稳定输出,平均功率为1.0 GW,波束互作用效率为21.9%, 效率高于空心双波段返波管及其他双波段器件。器件辐射功率的拍频为1.82 GHz,拍波更为明显和稳定。模拟研究中同时发现, 随着慢波结构之间漂移段的变化,双频频率都呈现一种准周期的变化。