Experimental and theoretical studies of a 35 GHz cyclotron autoresonance maser amplifier

Abstract

Experimental and theoretical studies of a cyclotron autoresonance maser (CARM) amplifier are reported. The measurements are carried out at a frequency of 35 GHz using a mildly relativistic electron beam (1.5 MeV, 130 A, 30 nsec) generated by a field emission electron gun followed by an emittance selector that removes the outer, hot electrons. Perpendicular energy is imparted to the electrons by means of a short bifilar helical wiggler. The entire system is immersed in a uniform axial magnetic field of 6–8 kG. With an input power of 17 kW at 35 GHz from a magnetron driver, the saturated power output is 12 MW in the lowest TE11 mode of a circular waveguide, corresponding to an electronic efficiency of 6.3%. The accompanying linear growth rate is 50 dB/m. When the system operates in the superradiant mode (in the absence of the magnetron driver) excitation of multiple waveguide modes is observed. A three-dimensional simulation code that has been developed to investigate the self-consistent interaction of the copropagating electromagnetic waveguide mode and the relativistic electron beam is in good agreement with the experimental observations.