AN INNER-FEEDBACK-STYLE TRAVELING-WAVE TUBE OSCILLATOR

A new concept of inner-feedback-style traveling wave tube oscillator, which is based on a traveling-wave tube having a partial reflector located at near the junction between the slow-wave structure and the output coupler and a mechanical tuner connected to the input coupler, is proposed. Simulations by CHIPIC code show that the inner-feedback-style traveling wave tube oscillator having 100W of power, about 10% of electron efficiency and a tunable band of 73.35-73.91 GHz may be achieved. Compared with Backward Wave Oscillators (BWOs), the new devices have similar ability for tuning, and have much higher electron efficiency, suggesting much more potential as a Terahertz source.

Design and development of high linearity millimeter wave traveling-wave tube for satellite communications

The linearity of the traveling-wave tube is a very important characteristic for a modern communication system. To improve the linearity of the traveling-wave tube at no expense of the saturated output power and overall efficiency, a modified pitch profile combined with a small adjustment of operating parameters is proposed. The optimal design of the helix circuit is evaluated theoretically by a large signal analysis, and the experimental test is also carried out to make a comparison of performance between the novel and original designed traveling-wave tubes. The experiments show that the saturated output powers and efficiencies of these two tubes are close to each other, while the linearity of the traveling-wave tube is obviously improved. The total phase shift and AM/PM conversion at saturation of the novel tube, averaged over the operating band, are only 30.6°/d B and 2.5°/d B, respectively, which are 20.1°/d B and 1.6°/d B lower than those of the original tube, respectively. Moreover, the third-order intermodulation of the novel tube is up to 2.2 d Bc lower than that of the original tube.

A novel slotted helix slow-wave structure for high power Ka-band traveling-wave tubes

A novel slotted helix slow-wave structure （SWS） is proposed to develop a high power, wide-bandwidth, and high reliability millimeter-wave traveling-wave tube （TWT）. This novel structure, which has higher heat capacity than a conven- tional helix SWS, evolves from conventional helix SWS with three parallel rows of rectangular slots made in the outside of the helix tape. In this paper, the electromagnetic characteristics and the beam-wave interaction of this novel structure operating in the Ka-band are investigated. From our calculations, when the designed beam voltage and beam current are set to be 18.45 kV and 0.2 A, respectively, this novel circuit can produce over 700-W average output power in a frequency range from 27.5 GHz to 32.5 GHz, and the corresponding conversion efficiency values vary from 19% to 21.3%, and the maximum output power is 787 W at 30 GHz.

A staggered double vane circuit for a W-band traveling-wave tube amplifier

Based on the combination of a staggered double vane slow wave structure （SWS） and round electron beam, a 200-W W-band traveling-wave tube （TWT） amplifier is studied in this paper. The main advantages of round beam operation over the sheet beam is that the round beam can be formed more easily and the focus requirement can be dramatically reduced. It operates in the fundamental mode at the first spatial harmonic. The geometric parameters are optimized and a transition structure for the slow wave circuit is designed which can well match the signal that enters into and goes out from the tube. Then a TWT model is established and the particle-in-cell （PIC） simulation results show that the tube can provide over 200-W output power in a frequency range of 88 GHz-103 GHz with a maximum power of 289 W at 95 GHz, on the assumption that the input power is 0.1 W and the beam power is 5.155 kW. The corresponding conversion efficiency and gain at 95 GHz are expected to be 5.6% and 34.6 dB, respectively. Such amplifiers can potentially be used in high power microwave-power-modules （MPM） and for other portable applications.

A three-dimensional time-dependent theory for helix traveling wave tubes in beam-wave interaction

This paper presents a three-dimensional time-dependent nonlinear theory of helix traveling wave tubes for beam- wave interaction. The radio frequency electromagnetic fields are represented as the superposition of azimuthally sym- metric waves in a vacuum sheath helix. Coupling impedance is introduced to the electromagnetic field equations＇ stimulating sources, which makes the theory easier and more flexible to realize. The space charge fields are calculated by electron beam space-charge waves expressed as the superposition solutions of Helmholtz equations. The focusing forces due to either a solenoidal field or a periodic permanent magnetic field is also included. The dynamical equations of electrons are Lorentz equations associating with electromagnetic fields, focusing fields and space-charge fields. The numerically simulated results of a tube are presented.

Nonlinear time-dependent simulation of helix traveling wave tubes

A one-dimensional nonlinear time-dependent theory for helix traveling wave tubes is studied. A generalized electromagnetic field is applied to the expression of the radio frequency field. To simulate the variations of the high frequency structure, such as the pitch taper and the effect of harmonics, the spatial average over a wavelength is substituted by a time average over a wave period in the equation of the radio frequency field. Under this assumption, the space charge field of the electron beam can be treated by a space charge wave model along with the space charge coefficient. The effects of the radio frequency and the space charge fields on the electrons are presented by the equations of the electron energy and the electron phase. The time-dependent simulation is compared with the frequency-domain simulation for a helix TWT, which validates the availability of this theory.

An Open Rectangular Waveguide Grating for Millimeter-Wave Traveling-Wave Tubes

Millimeter-wave traveling-wave tube （TWT） prevails nowadays as the amplifier for radar, communication and electronic countermeasures. The rectangular waveguide grating is a promising all-metal interaction circuit for the millimeter-wave TWT with advantages of high power capacity, fine heat dissipation, scalability to smaller dimen- sions for shorter wavelengths, compact structure and robust performance. Compared with the traditional closed structure, the open rectangular waveguide grating （ORWG） has wider bandwidth, lower cut-off frequency, and higher machining precision for higher working frequencies due to the open transverse. It is a potential structure that can work in the millimeter wave and even Terahertz band. The rf characteristics including dispersion and interaction impedance are investigated by both theoretic calculation and software simulation. The influences of the structure parameters are also discussed and compared, and the theoretical results agree well with the simula- tion results. Based on the study, the ORWG will favor the design of a broadband and high-power millimeter-wave TWT.

DESIGN OF HIGH VOLTAGE POWER CONVERTER FOR TRAVELING WAVE TUBE AMPLIFIER

Traveling Wave Tubes(TWTs) are widely used in the radar and communications system as RF power amplifiers. A highly sophisticated power supply is required by TWT. In order to meet the severe requirements of Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier(TWTA), a novel two-stage topology high voltage converter for TWTA is proposed.The converter is based on Zero-Voltage Switching and Zero-Current Switching(ZVS/ZCS) resonant techniques. The high voltage converter operation principles are investigated and major features of the converter are discussed. The power switching mode of ZVS/ZCS is obtained. The experimental results show that the converter has good soft switching characteristics. Compared to the conventional hard switched Pulse Width Modulation(PWM) techniques, the high efficiency and low ripple of the converter for TWTA are realized. The efficiency of High Voltage Electronic Power Conditioners(HV-EPC) over 93.5% under the condition of 38~46 V input voltage and 260~300 W input power. The switching frequency of first-stage(preregulator) of HV-EPC is 89 k Hz and the switching frequency of second-stage(postregulator) is 44.5 k Hz. The highest output voltage of the HV-EPC is helix voltage which is about –6.8 kV. It is especially suitable for TWTA utilized in space satellite applications due to its high switching frequency and high power density.

An open-styled dielectric-lined azimuthally periodic circular waveguide for a millimeter wave traveling-wave tube

An open-styled dielectric-lined azimuthMly periodic circular waveguide （ODLAP-CW） for a millimeter-wave traveling-wave tube （TWT） is proposed, which is a modified form of a dielectric-lined azimuthally periodic circular waveguide （DLAP-CW）. The slow-wave characteristics of the open-styled DLAP-CW are studied by using the spatial harmonics method, which includes normalized phase velocity and interaction impedance. The complicated dispersion equations are numerically solved with MATLAB and the results are in good agreement with the simulation results obtained from HFSS. The influence of structural parameters on the RF properties is investigated based on our theory. The numerical results show that the optimal thickness of the metal rod can increase the interaction impedance, with the dielectric constant held fixed. Finally, the slow-wave characteristics and transmission properties of an open-styled structure are compared with those of the DLAP-CW. The results validate that the mode competition is eliminated in the improved structure with only a slight influence on the dispersion characteristics, which may significantly improve the stability of an open-styled DLAP-CW-based TWT, and the interaction efficiency is also improved.

Design of a re-entrant double-staggered ladder circuit for V-band coupled-cavity traveling-wave tubes

The re-entrant double-staggered ladder slow-wave structure is employed in a high-power V-band coupled-cavity traveling-wave tube. This structure has a wide bandwidth, a moderate interaction impedance, and excellent thermal dissipation properties, as well as easy fabrication. A well-matched waveguide coupler is proposed for the structure. Combining the design of attenuators, a full-scale three-dimensional circuit model for the V-band coupled-cavity traveling- wave tube is constructed. The electromagnetic characteristics and the beam wave interaction of this structure are investigated. The beam current is set to be 100 mA, and the cathode voltage is tuned from 16.8 kV to 15.8 kV. The calculation results show that this tube can produce a saturated average output power over 100 W with an instantaneous bandwidth greater than 1.25 GHz in the frequency ranging from 58 GHz to 62 GHz. The corresponding gain and electronic efficiency can reach over 32 dB and 6.5%, respectively.

Effect of cyclotron resonance on ‘hot’ dispersion in a staggered double metallic grating sheet beam travelling wave tube

Based on the beam wave synchronous interaction in transverse and longitudinal directions at the same time and starting from Maxwell’s equation and linear Vlasov equation, the beam–wave interaction ‘hot’ dispersion equation considering both cyclotron resonance and Cherenkov resonance in a staggered double metallic grating traveling wave tube is deduced.Through the reasonable selection for geometric and electrical parameters, the numerical calculation and analysis of the ‘hot’ dispersion equation shows that the beam–wave interaction gain and frequency band with the cyclotron resonance enhancement effect are higher than those with only Cherenkov resonance radiation.

Analysis of the axial electric field in a plasma-loaded- helix travelling wave tube

A helix type slow wave structure filled with plasma is immersed in a strong longitudinal magnetic field. Taking into account the effect of the plasma and the dielectric, the system is separated radially into three regions. By means of the sheath model and Maxwell equation, the distribution of the electromagnetic field is established. Using the boundary conditions of each region, the dispersion relation of the slow wave structure is derived. The trend of change for the radial profile of the axial electric field is analysed respectively in different plasma densities, plasma column radius and dielectric constant by numerical computation. Some useful results are obtained on the basis of the discussion.

Theoretical research on the performance of a practical helix travelling wave tube

On the basis of a rigorous field theory, two different physical models of attenuator and sever have been proposed. One is named High attenuation （HATT） model in which both attenuator and sever are considered as a unified attenuator, but the sever is regarded as an area of very high loss; the other is called Sever and attenuator （SATT） model in which the sever is modelled as a drift area in which the electric and magnetic fields both vanish. A complex function is derived and potential sinking effect is also considered. Thus, a set of more practical self-consistent equations of nonlinear beam-wave interaction is formulated. Simulations are carried out under the conditions of the two different physical models, and the simulation results are compared with the experimental data. The results show that in the case of single signal drive, the unknown second harmonic should be included for predicting the saturated output power. It is also evident that the SATT model and the HATT model predict the same physical nature, whereas the results predicted by the HATT model are much closer to the experimental data than those obtained from the SATT model. Therefore, these results provide a strong theoretical basis for designing broadband and high gain helix travelling wave tubes.

0.345 THz微电真空FWG-TWT的电子光学系统

对于太赫兹微电真空折叠波导行波管(FWG-TWT)放大器,高流通率是试验测试中首先需要达到的技术指标,是器件连续工作时高效束-波互作用的前提。电子光学系统包括电子枪、周期永磁聚焦系统(PPM)和收集极。本文通过对电子枪的高品质束流的产生、PPM对束流的聚焦2个方面研究束流的直流流通率。首先依据Vaughan迭代综合法初步选定电子枪的基本结构尺寸,然后通过粒子跟踪程序及PIC程序对电子枪的结构参数进行仿真优化,初步实现了0.345 THz FWG-TWT放大器所需的束流品质;进行了电子光学系统的电子枪和PPM的一体化数值模拟,研究了电子的直流流通率,最终流通率模拟结果达到100%。

太赫兹FWG-TWT电子光学系统的数值模拟验证

结合实验模型,对0.22 THz折叠波导行波管(FWG-TWT)的电子光学系统进行数值模拟验证。首先对电子枪的工作机制进行细致研究和仿真验证,然后对电子光学系统(包括电子枪和周期永磁聚焦结构两部分)进行一体化建模,结合实际,合理设置仿真模型的工作参数及边界条件等。分析影响电子注流通率的关键因素,调整结构参数和束流参数,提高电子注的直流流通率。

能散度与发射度模块在太赫兹FWTWT模拟中的应用

研制了三维全电磁粒子模拟大规模并行程序NEPTUNE3D的能散度和发射度模块,主要用于评估电子出射速度和方向分布对太赫兹折叠波导行波管(FWTWT)性能的影响。将能散度和发射度模块应用到0.22 THz的FWTWT器件粒子模拟中,结果表明:能散度主要通过改变器件束压范围,使其偏离束波互作用共振电压范围,导致器件性能下降;发射度反映电子发射角的发散,同时影响纵向与横向电子速度,电子横向速度的增加导致其更易碰撞通道内壁,使电子总数下降,导致器件性能下降;若束压保持不变,电子横向速度的增加势必导致轴向速度的减小,破坏束波同步条件,导致器件性能进一步下降。

中科院电子所空间行波管仿真设计软件IESTWT

基于三维大信号注波互作用模型开发了空间行波管高频系统仿真设计软件,针对无翼片加载的T形杆、矩形杆、圆形杆和扇形杆夹持的螺旋线空间行波管,具有计算速度快、副特性预测精确的优点,已应用于多种管型的研制中。

Study on dispersion characteristics of terahertz waves in helical waveguides

Corresponding to the atmospheric transmission windows of the electromagnetic spectrum in the low terahertz range,the mode coupling and dispersion characteristics of two helically corrugated waveguides(HCW)in the frequency ranges of 90 GHz-100 GHz and 260 GHz-265 GHz are studied.Through analytic calculations and numerical simulations,dispersion curves and structural parameters of the two frequency ranges waveguides are obtained.A novel method was proposed to obtain the dispersion of the HCW from the eigenwave solution using a periodic boundary condition.The HCW in a frequency range of 90 GHz-100 GHz was fabricated and its dispersion performance was measured.By comparing the measured results with the theoretical and the simulated results,the validity of the analytical and simulation method is verified.Limited to our machining capability,the dispersion of the 260 GHz-265 GHz HCW was only simulated and calculated and it was found that the results agree well with each other.

Investigation of a wideband folded double-ridged waveguide slow-wave system

The folded double-ridged waveguide structure is presented and its properties used for wide-band traveling-wave tube are investigated. Expressions of dispersion characteristics, normalized phase velocity and interaction impedance of this structure are derived and numerically calculated. The calculated results using our theory agree well with those obtained by using the 3D electromagnetic simulation software HFSS. Influences of the ridge-loaded area and broad-wall dimensions on the high frequency characteristics of the novel slow-wave structure are discussed. It is shown that the folded double-ridged waveguide structure has a much wider relative passband than the folded waveguide slow-wave structure and a relative passband of 67% could be obtained, indicating that this structure can operate in broad-band frequency ranges of beam-wave interaction. The small signal gain property is investigated for ensuring the improvement of bandwidth. Meanwhile, with comparable dispersion characteristics, the transverse section dimension of this novel structure is much smaller than that of conventional one, which indicates an available way to reduce the weight of traveling-wave tube.

Accurate analysis of arbitrarily-shaped helical groove waveguide

This paper presents a theory on accurately analysing the dispersion relation and the interaction impedance of electromagnetic waves propagating through a helical groove waveguide with arbitrary groove shape, in which the complex groove profile is synthesized by a series of rectangular steps. By introducing the influence of high-order evanescent modes on the connection of any two neighbouring steps by an equivalent susceptance under a modified admittance matching condition, the assumption of the neglecting discontinuity capacitance in previously published analysis is avoided, and the accurate dispersion equation is obtained by means of a combination of field-matching method and admittancematching technique. The validity of this theory is proved by comparison between the measurements and the numerical calculations for two kinds of helical groove waveguides with different groove shapes.