Development of a 2 MW relativistic backward wave oscillator

In this paper, a high power relativistic backward wave oscillator (BWO) experiment is reported. A 230 keV, 2 kA, 150 ns relativistic electron beam is generated using a Marx generator. The beam is then injected into a hollow rippled wall metallic cylindrical tube that forms a slow wave structure. The beam is guided using an axial pulsed magnetic field having a peak value 1 T and duration 1 ms. The field is generated by the discharge of a capacitor bank into a solenoidal coil. A synchronization circuit ensures the generation of the electron beam at the instant when the axial magnetic field attains its peak value. The beam interacts with the SWS modes and generates microwaves due to Cherenkov interaction. Estimated power of 2 MW in TM₀₁ mode is observed.