Modification of electron-cyclotron maser operation by application of an external signal. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Mar 31 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6363000

McCurdy, A H; Armstrong, C M; Bollen, W M

Operation of the electron cyclotron resonance maser (ECRM) when subjected to an external rf signal is studied. The signal is introduced both by direct injection through a coupling hole in the oscillator and by modulating the electron beam in separate cavities, upstream of the oscillator. Experiments using both one and two pre bunching cavities are reported. It is found that the gyromonotron, a specific embodiment of the ECRM, can be phase locked by premodulating the electron beam. In this case, the required drive power levels are more than 15 dB below that predicated by Adler's widely applicable theory for single-cavity oscillators. In addition, the same method allows oscillator phase-locked systems, significant reduction of frequency, and amplitude noise is observed within the locking band in signal of a power level 65 dB below that of the oscillator. The general amplitude and frequency response of the ECRM to an applied external signal is also investigated. Three distinct regions of qualitatively different behavior are noted: soft excitation, which is free, self-excited oscillation; hard excitation, where the oscillation requires an external impulse for start up; and amplifier, in which the output power level and frequency are linearly related to the drive in the small regime.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6363000
• Report Number(s): AD-A-179999/8/XAB; NRL-9038
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
ELECTRON BEAMS
MODULATION
MASERS
OPERATION
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
EXCITATION
KLYSTRONS
OSCILLATORS
PULSES
SIGNALS
AMPLIFIERS
BEAMS
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EQUIPMENT
LEPTON BEAMS
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
PARTICLE BEAMS
RESONANCE
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)