Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-15-2022

Abstract

A traditional relativistic magnetron is an efficient, high-power source of cm-wave radiation. Typically, a cathode sits inside the interaction region and produces a quickly expanding cathode plasma. However, rapid radial expansion leads to unwanted frequency drift and pulse shortening. Recently, researchers at Technion, in collaboration with the University of New Mexico, proposed to use a split cathode to form a low-energy “squeezed” state by injecting electrons externally into a potential well and squeezing them with a sufficiently strong magnetic field. Technion’s long-pulse experiments achieved a low-energy state, at the output power and efficiency comparable to a physical cathode inside the interaction region. Additionally, the split-cathode-driven magnetron produced a longer RF pulse and smaller frequency drift. Short-pulse experiments at UNM also detected RF oscillations from a split-cathode but at lower power and efficiency. Numerical analysis has shown that the electrons stayed in a high energy state and did not evolve into a high-density state.

Keywords

split-cathode, high power microwaves, pulse shortening, diocotron, relativistic magnetron

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Electrical Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Edl Schamiloglu

Second Committee Member

Mark Gilmore

Third Committee Member

Christos Christodoulou

Fourth Committee Member

Yakov Krasik

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