Resonant microwave pulse compressor operating in two frequencies

Abstract

A resonant microwave pulse compressor with a hybrid (Magic) waveguide tee as an interference switch was studied in numerical simulations and experimentally. In this compressor, the necessary condition for energy storage in the compressor cavity is frequency-independent, so that its operation in different cavity eigenmodes without mechanical tuning is possible. An S-band compressor operating in two different frequencies (neighboring modes) was investigated. Two characteristic geometries corresponding to different regimes of the microwave energy accumulation and release were tested using input pulses of 200–400 kW power, 2.4 μs duration, and variable frequency, 2.8 to 2.9 GHz. The geometries are characterized by an RF electric field in the interference switch that is higher or lower than the field in the cavity. The plasma discharge that switches the phases of compressor operation from energy storage to release was initiated by small metallic cones placed in the appropriate location. For both geometries, the nanosecond output pulses in two resonant frequencies were obtained; the maximal peak output power measured was ∼1.8 MW. The efficiency of the microwave extraction was limited by either an insufficient coupling to the tee output arm (in the case of a high field in the tee) or non-uniformity of the plasma discharge (in the case of low field in the tee).