Two-channel active high-power X-band pulse compressor

Abstract

A two-channel active pulse compressor has been developed that is able to provide output-pulses of at least 100 MW peak power with pulse duration of 100 nsec at X-band, with a power gain of 12–15 and with an energy efficiency of 60%. This paper describes the design of the compressor and the driving generator-compressor microwave circuit. Each channel of the compressor is connected to the driving generator and the load via a novel 3-dB quasi-optical coupler. Variations in phase of compressed output pulses from this active pulse compressor were measured. The moderate-power tests of a prototype design of such a compressor using 100 kW-level microwaves demonstrated coherent addition of the compressed pulses from each of the compressor channels. The paper also describes design of a modified output reflector, with which the two-channel active pulse compressor can produce output pulses with a peak power of at least 500 MW and a power gain 12–15.