Abstract
A new class of compact and lightweight S-band 1 kW traveling-wave tube (TWT) is being developed for a microwave power module (MPM) that will be used for phased antenna array radar applications. The proposed S-band MPM provides a tenfold peak power increase compared to state-of-the-art S-band MPMs. In this paper, the design of the vacuum power booster TWT part of the MPM is presented. The compact and lightweight S-band TWT is driven by a 6 kV, 0.9 A electron beam. The amplifier is predicted by large-signal simulations to generate over 1 kW at S-band with 25 dB saturated gain and over 40% efficiency. The stability from unwanted oscillations has been investigated. To suppress the oscillations, the helix circuit has been coated with carbon composite material. The coaxial input and output antennas have been fabricated. For efficiency enhancement, a multi-stage depressed collector (MDC) has been designed using a 3D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulator, VORPAL. The collector design makes use of a current loop based on a feedback mechanism for effective design process. The integrated designs of a helix circuit, an electron gun, a periodic permanent magnet (PPM), antennas, and a collector are presented.
Highlights
There is significant interest in compact and light weight microwave amplifiers with moderately high-power and wide-bandwidth capabilities for applications such as phased array radar applications
A new class of compact and lightweight S-band 1 kW traveling-wave tube (TWT) is being developed for a microwave power module (MPM) that will be used for phased antenna array radar applications
We propose a new class of S-band MPM which exhibits a tenfold peak power increase, has a weight of less than 5.4 kg and a maximum volume of 2700 cc, and operates with only slight increase in prime power or cooling requirement
Summary
There is significant interest in compact and light weight microwave amplifiers with moderately high-power (up to 1 kW) and wide-bandwidth capabilities for applications such as phased array radar applications. The MPM consists of a solid-state power amplifier (SSA), a vacuum power booster (VPB) TWT, and an electronic or integrated power conditioner (EPC or IPC). We propose a new class of S-band MPM which exhibits a tenfold peak power increase, has a weight of less than 5.4 kg and a maximum volume of 2700 cc, and operates with only slight increase in prime power or cooling requirement. This compact and lightweight pulsed MPM overcomes a significant engineering challenge, requiring new power supply and new TWT and enables a new class of miniaturized radars.
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