A Millimeter Wave Phase Locked and Frequency Multiplying Source

A millimeter wave phase locked and frequency multiplying source is proposed in this paper. The design includes an X-band phase locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizer as the base frequency source, and a monolithic millimeter wave frequency tripler, which is developed by using OMMIC 0.18μm pHEMT process. The PLL and the tripler are integrated in a single circuit board to make a low-cost and compact frequency source with the size of 6cm × 5cm. Measurement shows an output power of more than 4.8dBm at the frequency range from 35 to 36.7GHz. A phase noise of about -92dBc/Hz at 100kHz offset is achieved.     

Frequency synthesizers up to 370 GHz

A new generation of frequency synthesizers up to 370 GHz is described. The main parts of them are microwave frequency synthesizer covering 11–15 GHz band, effective frequency multipliers-mixers using an opposite pair of planar Shottky diodes and a lock-in loop of a backward-wave oscillator tube covering millimeter and longer part of submillimeter wave bands with tens of milliwatts of output power. The ways of further increase in the operating frequency of such synthesizers are discussed.     

Effect of Attenuator on BWO Start Oscillation Condition in a Helix Millimeter Wave TWT Under Magnetic Focusing

In a practical helix millimeter wave traveling-wave tube (TWT), there are always magnetic focusing system for constraining the electron beam as it passes through the interaction region and attenuator for suppressing the oscillations, including backward-wave oscillation (BWO) and improving the output power. In view of the attenuator and magnetic focusing system, a 2D linear theory is employed to analyze BWO start oscillation condition. Numerical results show that the start oscillation length of the millimeter wave TWT decreases when the start position of the attenuator is close to the input section of the slow wave structure (SWS), and that it increases with the decrease of the attenuation length or the increase of the attenuation quantity. Therefore, in order to predict the BWO accurately, we should take into the attenuator and magnetic focusing system account.     

The hard excitation regime for a relativistic backward-wave oscillator

We study theoretically the processes which take place in a relativistic backward-wave oscillator (BWO) in the parameter region corresponding to hard excitation of oscillations. The onset of both stationary oscillations near the boundary of the hard excitation regime and hard nonstationary oscillations realizing the self-modulation regimes of BWO operation are analyzed along with the dynamics of a BWO-based amplifier. In particular, it is shown that hard excitation of self-oscillation can restrict significantly the output characteristics of a relativistic BWO operated in the regenerative-amplification regime. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 8, pp. 675–681, August 2008.     

高功率窄脉冲毫米波返波管粒子模拟与实验研究

采用数值模拟方法优化设计出BWO(Backward Wave Oscillator)慢波结构, 并在RADAN303加速器平台上进行了实验研究, 在电子束电压177kV、电流785A、磁场强度1.7T的条件下, 产生毫米波辐射功率18MW、频率39.8GHz、脉冲宽度3ns、模式为TE₁₁的毫米波输出.     

Characteristics of Bifilar Helix Circuit

The characteristics of two kinds of bifilar helix circuit are discussed in this paper. One is alike wound bifilar helix and another is contrawound bifilar helix. Alike wound bifilar helix is often used in O-type backward wave tube (BWO). Owing to wider operating bandwidth, higher interaction impedance and large dimensions, the contrawound helix is suitable for broadband millimeter wave traveling wave tube (MMW TWT).     

Phase Noise Analysis and Estimate of Millimeter Wave PLL Frequency Synthesizer

Phase noise is an important index in evaluating the performance of millimeter wave (MMW) frequency source. Because of the high frequency, it is difficult to measure its phase noise directly. So it is very necessary to find new methods for estimating it effectively and easily. In this paper, the main factors affecting phase noise of MMW PLL frequency source are analyzed, and then a new method to estimate the phase noise is presented, which is based on the comparison of the phase noise of microwave phase-locked frequency source with phase-locked intermediate frequency in MMW phase-locked loop. In order to demonstrate the validity of this method of phase noise estimate, it is applied to estimate the phase noise of 95GHz double PLL frequency synthesizer. The result shows that the theoretical estimate value is well coincident with the experimental value.     

Experimental results from a tandem BWO-TWT system used to generatehigh-power microwaves

A relativistic backward wave oscillator (BWO) in tandem with a traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifier has been used to generate relatively long pulses of high-power X-band microwaves. In these experiments, a BWO is used to modulate the annular relativistic electron beam, which subsequently drives a TWT producing high-power microwave radiation. A special RF sever located between the two structures cuts off microwaves generated in the BWO from the TWT. Peak powers in excess of 100 MW are observed with overall beam-to-microwave efficiencies as high as 35%. By operating the BWO below saturation levels, pulse-shortening effects are minimized so that microwave pulses of duration comparable to that of the beam (100 ns) are possible. The operating frequency of the tandem system is tuned from 11 to 12 GHz by varying the effective energy of the beam     

Theory of resonant relativistic oscillator with nonuniform focusing field

The two-dimensional model of millimeter wave resonant O-type oscillator (as orotron, ledatron, resonant BWO, etc.) with a relativistic electron beam is analyzed. The selfconsistent nonlinear simultaneous equations have been obtained for the arbitrary space distribution of the magnetic guide field. The start generation characteristics are analyzed under small-signal conditions with an analytical solution taken for the case of inclined focusing magnetic field. It is found that the efficiency of electron-wave interaction appreciably depends on the focusing field strength and the relativistic mass factor. The results of numerical optimization of the guide field structure are presented to show possibility of improvement of the start characteristics of the oscillator.     

An Open Rectangular Waveguide Grating for Millimeter-Wave Traveling-Wave Tubes

Millimeter-wave traveling-wave tube(TWT) prevails nowadays as the amplifier for radar,communication and electronic countermeasures.The rectangular waveguide grating is a promising all-metal interaction circuit for the millimeter-wave TWT with advantages of high power capacity,fine heat dissipation,scalability to smaller dimensions for shorter wavelengths,compact structure and robust performance.Compared with the traditional closed structure,the open rectangular waveguide grating(ORWG) has wider bandwidth,lower cut-off frequency,and higher machining precision for higher working frequencies due to the open transverse.It is a potential structure that can work in the millimeter wave and even Terahertz band.The rf characteristics including dispersion and interaction impedance are investigated by both theoretic calculation and software simulation.The influences of the structure parameters are also discussed and compared,and the theoretical results agree well with the simulation results.Based on the study,the ORWG will favor the design of a broadband and high-power millimeter-wave TWT.     

Spurious Signal Response of Broadband Solid–State Frequency Multipliers at Millimeter and Submillimeter Wavelengths

Heterodyne instruments at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths often use wideband fixed-tuned frequency multipliers, in conjunction with broadband power amplifiers driven by frequency synthesizers, as the local oscillator (LO) source. At these frequencies the multipliers use Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) based Schottky varactor diodes as the nonlinear element, and like most other harmonic generators are susceptible to spurious signal interference. The state-of-the-art LO sources at these wavelengths use high power MMIC amplifiers at the initial stages, and are used to drive the subsequent multiplier stages to have enough LO power to pump the mixers. Because of the high input power environment and the presence of noise in the system, the multipliers become vulnerable to spurious signal interference. As the spurious signals propagate through the receiver system, they generate inter-modulation products which might fall in the passband of the heterodyne instrument and seriously degrade its performance. In this paper spurious signal response of solid-state frequency multipliers at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths is investigated. Results of numerical harmonic balance simulations and laboratory experiments, which were found to show good agreement, are presented here.     

基于Z-FDTD的THz波与等离子体相互作用

利用Z变换时域有限差分法(Z-FDTD)计算等离子体鞘层中太赫兹(THz)波的传输特性,得出太赫兹波的功率反射和透射系数在等离子鞘层中随电磁波频率的变化曲线图,分析了太赫兹波的传输特性与等离子体结构参数(鞘层厚度、碰撞频率以及电子密度)的关系,对利用太赫兹波缓解等离子体鞘层通信中出现的“黑障”现象做了探讨。结果表明:太赫兹波能改善等离子体鞘层通信,为解决“黑障”问题提供了有效途径。     

W波段交错双栅返波振荡器高频系统

将矩形交错双栅结构作为慢波电路并提出与之配套的过渡结构和输出耦合器,设计了利用带状电子注工作在W波段的返波振荡器。提出的过渡结构和耦合器解决了该类直波导型器件的信号传输衰减大、反射强等难题。相对于传统圆形电子注器件,该器件得到了较大的功率提升。利用三维粒子模拟计算的方法,在电流12 mA时通过调节工作电压,在92~98 GHz频带内得到了数W的稳定平均功率输出,信号中心频率非常接近设计频率,且单色性好,谐波分量小。     

Review of the Novel Slow-Wave Structures for High-Power Traveling-Wave Tube

All-metal slow-wave structures are being paid great attention because of their advantages, such as good heat dissipation, high power capacity, wide passband, good wholeness of structure and large size etc. The emphases in this paper concentrate on the present state of study of four types of structures: helical groove, ring-plane, folded waveguide and periodically loaded waveguide, including theoretical analyses and practical applications. The problems and directions for future studies of these types of slow-wave circuits are also discussed. It is pointed out that all-metal slow-wave structures are suitable for applications in millimeter wave vacuum devices, like TWT, BWO, Gyro-TWT, and relativistic devices.     

过模返波管的正反馈机制

作为一个典型的高功率微波振荡器,过模返波管(backward wave oscillator,BWO)的束波互作用过程复杂,束流负载效应影响明显,但是作为振荡器本身,其本质就是一个正反馈电路,电子从阴极发射后,穿过谐振反射腔和慢波结构(slow-wave structure,SWS),在SWS区电子动能转化为微波能,其中的一部分微波反馈到谐振反射腔,实现对电子束的调制,其他微波通过后面输出端口向外辐射.本文根据这种正反馈机制,建立器件工作模式等效电路和束波互作用的自洽过程,从理论上给出正反馈机制对器件模式控制、起振电流等参数的影响,并模拟研究了这种反馈机制对模式控制的影响,由此设计了一个能够在(1 MV,20 kA)电子束条件下克服模式竞争的过模BWO,其微波输出功率为7.9 GW,频率为8.68 GHz,相应的效率为39.5%.     

带谐振腔反射器的低磁场返波管实验研究

 谐振腔反射器到慢波结构输入端之间的漂移段长度对返波管效率有较大影响,文章对该影响进行了理论分析和数值模拟。结果表明：由于谐振腔反射器对电子束的预调制作用,返波管输出功率随漂移段长度的增加而呈现多峰值现象,在选取合适的漂移段长度时,可以显著提高其微波产生的效率。在SINUS－881加速器上开展实验,在引导磁场为0.7 T,漂移段长度为4.9 cm的条件下,实验获得了功率为700 MW,频率为8.7 GHz,脉宽20 ns的微波输出,效率约14%。实验研究证实了模拟结果的正确性。     

Phase Locking of 2-mm Wave Sources Upon High-Order IMPATT Multipliers

We describe experiments resulting in the phase locking of two electrically tunable 2-mm wave sources based on active high-order IMPATT multipliers. Phase locking modes were tested on a pair of identical multiplying sources (master and slave) with the tuning ranges 138.5+/–1.5 GHz (master) and 140.0+/– GHz (slave). The phase lock loop (PLL) system is used to lock the slave source to the master source. The multipliers of this type can translate the spectra of highly stable centimeter-wave oscillators to any part of the millimeter range with the output power 100÷20 mW over the 30 to 140 GHz range without additional amplification. The phase locked sources operate over a 3% frequency band with low phase noise and rapid frequency tuning. The amplitude-frequency characteristics of the sources are presented with the locking-mode signal spectra.     

Submillimeter backward wave oscillators

NASA Lewis Research Center is engaged in a program to develop a series of backward wave oscillators (BWO's) for the frequency range 500 to 2000 GHz. Generically BWO's are electron beam traveling wave tubes operating in a dispersive regime in which the group velocity and the phase velocity of the induced electromagnetic wave are in opposite directions. The oscillation frequency of a BWO is controlled by the electron beam velocity (anode voltage).Such tubes because of their frequency tunability, phase locking capability, and large bandwidth are ideal local oscillators for heterdyne receiver/spectrometers.The design of the BWO's will be discussed with emphasis on the etched slow wave structure, zero compression electron beam, long life cathode, and moderate operating voltages.