Initial operation of a high-power frequency-doubling X-band magnicon amplifier

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/27.533100· OSTI ID:377857

Gold, S H; Fliflet, A W; Manheimer, W M ^[1]; Kinkead, A K ^[2]; Hafizi, B ^[3]

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1. Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)
2. Sachs/Freeman Associates, Inc., Landover, MD (United States)
3. Icarus Research, Bethesda, MD (United States)

The magnicon is a scanning-beam microwave amplifier that is under consideration as an alternative to klystrons for powering future high-gradient electron linear accelerators. This paper reports the initial high-power operation of a frequency-doubling magnicon amplifier at 11.120 GHz. The deflection cavities operate at 5.560 GHz. The device is operating in a single-pulse mode at 650 kV and {approximately}225 A, using a 5.5-mm diameter beam from a plasma cathode, at a magnetic field of 6.7--8.2 kG. In order to overcome a gain saturation problem in the deflection cavities caused by plasma loading, the penultimate deflection cavity is operated very close to self-oscillation. The typical output pulselength is 100 ns full width at half maximum (FWHM), and is limited by RF breakdown of the penultimate cavity. Based on the measured far-field antenna pattern and absolute calibration of all microwave components, the measured output power is 14 MW ({+-}3 dB), corresponding to an efficiency of {approximately}10%.

• DOE Contract Number: AI02-94ER40861
• OSTI ID: 377857
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 24; ISSN ITPSBD; ISSN 0093-3813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
CAVITY RESONATORS
ELECTRON BEAMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FREQUENCY MIXING
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE