Full 3-D Simulation and Optimization of Gigawatt Class C-Band 20 Percent Efficient Coaxial Vircator

Abstract

An investigation of several configurations of a gigawatt class coaxial triode vircator is presented. To maximize averaged power output efficiency, several device dimensions are optimized. Simulations of the source were carried out using the Improved Concurrent Electromagnetic Particle in Cell (ICEPIC) code. The resulting optimized device has 2.08 GW of output power with a steady state efficiency of 20 percent. The device's output power is almost purely in the TM01 mode. The operating frequency is approximately 4.43 GHz. Additionally presented is a configuration designed to mitigate explosive emission on undesirable surfaces along the cathode. It successfully keeps non-emission surface E-fields below 300 kV/cm while maintaining multi-gigawatt output power.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 21, 2021
Accession Number
AD1125350

Entities

People

  • Bud Denny
  • Christopher Leach
  • Jason Hammond

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • C Band
  • Contracts
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Efficiency
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Beams
  • Electron Emission
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Emitters
  • Energy
  • Field Emission
  • Free Electron Lasers
  • Free Electrons
  • Frequency
  • Geometry
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • High Power Microwaves
  • Iterations
  • Optimization
  • Particles
  • Reflectors
  • Standards
  • Three Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronics Engineering