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Title: Generation of broadband terahertz radiation using a backward wave oscillator and pseudospark-sourced electron beam

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4932099· OSTI ID:22482181
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  1. Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG Scotland (United Kingdom)

This paper presents for the generation of a small size high current density pseudospark (PS) electron beam for a high frequency (0.2 THz) Backward Wave Oscillator (BWO) through a Doppler up-shift of the plasma frequency. An electron beam ∼1 mm diameter carrying a current of up to 10 A and current density of 10{sup 8} A m{sup −2}, with a sweeping voltage of 42 to 25 kV and pulse duration of 25 ns, was generated from the PS discharge. This beam propagated through the rippled-wall slow wave structure of a BWO beam-wave interaction region in a plasma environment without the need for a guiding magnetic field. Plasma wave assisted beam-wave interaction resulted in broadband output over a frequency range of 186–202 GHz with a maximum power of 20 W.

OSTI ID:
22482181
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 13; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English