Highly efficient generation of subnanosecond microwave pulses in ka-band relativistic bwo

Abstract

This paper presents the results of investigations of the mode of nonsteady-state oscillations with a short-time power burst which is characteristic of the initial stage of the transient process in a backward wave oscillator when the beam operating current is far in excess of the starting current. Numerical simulations have yielded the conditions under which the efficiency of the power transfer from an electron beam with a particle energy of 300 keV, a current of 2 kA, and a duration of 1 ns into a microwave pulse containing 8-10 high-frequency field periods approaches 90%. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that the production of pulses like these with a duration of 200-250 ps, a power of up to /spl sim/400 MW, and a central frequency of about 38 GHz is feasible.