Gyrotron based on a superconducting magnet

The replacement of conventional pulsed magnetic field coils previously used to generate the intra-cavity B-field with an 11T superconducting magnet is reported. The resulting more stable mm-wave output pulse is shown and the refurbishment requirements of both the field emission, field-immersed, cold cathode and Marx bank spark gaps demonstrated. This system proved to be tunable, oscillating from 20GHz up to 110GHz, with peak power levels of 450kW and 300kW respectively. Other operating parameters were also examined including mm-wave pulse length as a function of anode-cathode position. The pulse length increased from 87±6ns to 310±10ns with a 2.5 cm horizontal transit of the cathode away from the anode. A similar effect was witnessed with the increase of the intra-cavity B-field from 1.00T to 5.00T resulting in the mm-wave pulse duration increasing from 250±40ns. Second harmonic operation of the cavity resulted in 0.5kW of radiation observed at 96GHz. The pulse-to-pulse mm-wave stability coupled with the mode selectivity of the ohmic-Q-dominated cavity resulted in the identification of several oscillating modes including the TE₁₂, cut-off frequency 21.1 GHz, the TE₀₂, cut-off frequency 29.1 GHz, the TE₃₅ at 74 GHz and the TE_14,2, at 88GHz.     

Self-consistent large-signal calculation on the gyrotron-TWA

By means of a ballistic method a self-consistent large-signal calculation on the gyrotron traveling wave amplifier (gyrotron-TWA) with uniform waveguide and magnetic field has been accomplished. The theory is valid for arbitrary harmonics of the cyclotron frequency and arbitrary TEmn modes.Computer simulation shows that under defined conditions a beam efficiency 50 %, an output power 300 kW and a gain28 dB at a central frequency of 35 GHz with a 3 dB bandwidth of 2,7 % could be obtained. This method will be effective for the theoretical analysis and the parameter-optimization on the gyrotron-TWA.     

Axisymmetric quasi-optical gyrotron oscillator

An axisymmetric quasi-optical gyrotron (ASQUOTRON) is considered to realize a 10 MW, 150 GHz, CW oscillator required for an electron cyclotron resonance heating of a fusion plasma. The gyrotron has an axisymmetric mirror to be used as its optical cavity. It is shown that the axisymmetric mirror of relatively small radius (20 cm) can be used in producing the 10 MW continuous wave with a tolerable mirror heat load (0.5 kW/cm²). Considerations are also made on wave transmissions through the mirror and to a target.     

Design of a Quasi-Optical Mode Converter for a Frequency Step-Tunable Gyrotron

The quasi-optical mode converter for a frequency step-tunable gyrotron which consists of a dimpled-wall antenna (Denisov-type launcher) and a beam-forming mirror system has been optimized for 9 modes from TE_17,6 at 105 GHz to TE_23,8 at 143 GHz. The first mirror is a large quasi-elliptical focusing one; the second and third are phase-correcting mirrors with a non-quadratic shape of the surface. The results of calculations show that for these modes the Denisov-type launcher has a well-focused beam with low diffraction losses, and the radiation pattern presents an almost identical field shape for all modes considered. A multi-mode optimization of the phase-correcting mirrors with two different methods has been tested. The simulations show that the phase-correcting mirrors can be used for broadband operation in the frequency range from 105 GHz up to 143 GHz in the various design modes. This quasi-optical mode converter can achieve efficiencies of 94%-98% for converting the rotating high-order cylindrical cavity modes into the usable fundamental Gaussian mode.     

Investigation of a Broadband Quasi-Optical Mode Converter for a Multi-Frequency 1 MW Gyrotron

A broadband quasi-optical (QO) mode converter for a multi-frequency gyrotron has been designed and tested at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK). The launcher is optimized for the TE_22,8 mode at 140 GHz, but the radiated beams present an almost identically focused pattern for all 9 considered modes between 105 GHz (TE_17,6) and 143 GHz (TE_23,8). Combining with a beam-forming mirror system, which consists of a quasi-elliptical mirror and two phase-correcting mirrors with non-quadratic surface contour, further calculations show that efficiencies of more than 94% have been achieved for converting the rotating high-order cylindrical cavity modes into the usable fundamental Gaussian mode. Low power (cold) measurements show a good agreement with theoretical predictions. This QO mode converter can be used for the broadband operation of a multi-frequency 1 MW gyrotron.     

Ruby ESR Over a Wide Frequency Range in the Millimeter Wave Region

The ESR of Cr³⁺ in dark ruby is measured using a high frequency ESR spectrometer with a wide frequency range which uses a gyrotron as the radiation source. For this purpose, GYROTRON FU- IV A developed at Fukui University was optimized for use in an ESR apparatus operating in the millimeter-wave range.The observed fine structure constant D for ruby is found to be D –5.728 GHz and the g-values g 1.981, g 1.982. Both the values of |D| and g are smaller than those obtained at lower frequencies by other work. Higher order terms of the spin hamiltonian are discussed in order to understand the ruby ESR results in this higher frequency range.     

A Quasi-Optical System for Converting TE0n Mode Outputs of a Gyrotron into Gaussian Beams

In this paper we present a novel design of a quasi-optical system for conversion of gyrotron outputs into Gaussian-like beams. It consists of a quasi-optical antenna, two focusing mirrors and a filter which removes the side lobes of the beam. The system is appropriate as a transmission line for frequency tunable gyrotrons operating at TE_0n mode. As an illustration of our approach, we present results which demonstrate the applicability of the developed system for conversion of the radiation generated by the Gyrotron FU IVA. The examples include conversion of three TE_0n modes (TE₀₂, 223 GHz; TE₀₃, 323 GHz; TE₀₄, 423 GHz) into Gaussian- like beams.     

Mode selective directional couplers for overmoded waveguide systems

Two types of directional couplers for transverse electric (TE) modes are described: short and multihole couplers, respectively. They selectively pick one mode out of a mode mixture in an overmoded circular waveguide system. Unwanted modes are either statistically kept at low level or are suppressed by destructive interference in the coupling waveguide. Mode selectivity and directivity in multihole couplers oscillate up and down with an increasing number of holes, finally reaching a minimum of approximately 20 dB, unless there are competing modes with rational fractions of the beat wavelength. A multihole coupler for the TE₀₂ mode (28 GHz, 63.4 mm waveguide diameter, 41 holes) and a length of 1.6 m shows a calculated directivity of 68 dB and suppresses the unwanted modes TE₀₁ with 34 dB (24 dB), TE₂₂ with 37 dB (45 dB), and further modes TE_m (<5, m<6) with 17 dB to 34 dB in forward direction (figures in parentheses are for unwanted modes propagating in backward direction).A short directional coupler for the TE₀₁ mode (28 GHz, 63.4 mm waveguide diameter) with 16 holes and a length of 230 mm shows a directivity of 55 to 100 dB between 27.9 and 28.1 GHz, suppressing the TE₀₂ mode with 35 to 80 dB, the TE₀₃ mode with 30 to 65 dB, and the TE₂₂ mode with 30 to 70 dB.     

An improved design for quasi-optical mode conversion of whispering gallery mode gyrotron radiation

Results are reported of a theoretical and experimental investigation of a quasi-optical mode converter for the transformation of whispering gallery mode gyrotron output into a linearly polarized Gaussian like beam. The mode converter consists of a helically cut waveguide launcher, similar to that originally proposed by Vlasovet al, followed by a focusing mirror. Theoretical results using aperture field methods indicate that the length of the waveguide launcher is of critical importance in providing a confined radiation pattern. Experimental results on the radiation pattern were obtained for several launcher lengths using a 0.6 MW, 149 GHz pulsed gyrotron operating in the TE_16,2 mode. Radiation pattern results for the optimum launcher length agree well with theoretical calculations using the Stratton-Chu aperture radiation theory for unperturbed waveguide modes. A mirror focusing in the azimuthal direction was designed by a geometrical optics approach to focus the radiation coming from the launcher. Good focusing with 91.4% efficiency (power in the focused beam divided by gyrotron power) was found experimentally using the combined launcher and mirror with the pulsed gyrotron. These results indicate that quasi-optical antennas are useful for transforming high order, high frequency gyrotron modes into directed beams in free space.     

Design of a Quasi-Optical System Converting the TE06 Output Mode of a Gyrotron into a Gaussian-Like Beam

Gaussian optics can be used to design a quasi-optical system converting the TE₀₆ mode output (f=388 GHz) of a submillimeter wave gyrotron into a well-collimated, linearly-polarized free-space beam with a circular cross-section. A quasi-optical antenna produces a main beam with an elliptical cross-section, which is then converted by two mirrors into a well-collimated beam with a circular cross-section.