A circular crossed-field amplifier for in situ measurements, study of reentrant beam effects, and comparison with numerical simulation

Abstract

A low frequency, injected beam, circular format crossed-field amplifier has been designed and constructed for the purpose of studying electron-radio frequency wave interaction in reentrant devices. The device has been designed to allow in situ diagnostic probe measurements in the space between the anode and sole. The device has been operated in nonreentrant, fully reentrant, and reentrancy controlled configurations. Details of the design and operating parameters are described. Device characteristics are examined with respect to the amount of circulating charge or degree of reentrancy. A large increase in gain has been achieved from nonreentrant to the fully reentrant format. A gain of 7.2 dB has been obtained for the latter whereas only 3.8 dB has been obtained for the former with 30 mA of injected beam current. A maximum gain of 14.4 dB has been achieved for the fully reentrant configuration. Electron beam and noise measurements versus the degree of reentrancy have also been examined. Results from the nonreentrant amplifier performance have been directly compared with the MASK simulation code and good agreement has been obtained. These experiments will provide the basis for more detailed investigations on the effect of reentrancy on CFA operation and will also allow for the development of more accurate computer models of the reentrant system for numerical simulation of CFA operation. >