High-Power Microwave Breakdown of Dielectric Interfaces
Abstract
The goal of this project is the study of the electrical breakdown, due to microwaves, which occurs on the surface of vacuum/atmosphere interfaces. This is a final report for AFOSR Grant No. 88-0102, that began in January, 1988. This report, however, will concentrate on the results since the last annual report, dated September 3, 1990. In the past year, the system was fired over 300 times while investigating the breakdown process. Window materials, coatings, surface textures, shapes, and ambient gases were all varied and the results recorded. The diagnostics system was timed to provide temporal correlation between the different signals. Using the particle-in-cell code (MAGIC), overall microwave power and field information has been calculated for the various window configurations. The bulk of these shots were taken using about one-half of the available power from the machine. Recently, the machine was fired several times at near maximum values. Weak points in the machine design were discovered and corrected. Research is continuing, under AFOSR grant No. 91-0260, using the higher power levels from the machine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 11, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA243861
Entities
People
- L. Hatfield
- M . Kristiansen
- Mark Crawford
- Steve Calico
Organizations
- Texas Tech University