Improvement of the Output Characteristics of a Relativistic Magnetron using a Small Diameter Cathode Surrounded by a Transparent Cathode

Abstract

Conventional magnetrons in which cathodes with thermionic and/or secondary electron emission are used operate poorly when the ratio of the anode-to-cathode radius is large, R sub a /R sub c > 2~2.5 , because of unfavorable starting conditions and strong mismatch of the synchronous particle-field interaction. The field of the operating mode, which decreases exponentially from the resonant system cavities to the cathode, becomes too weak on the electron flow rotating over the cathode to capture electrons to the anode. On other hand, the azimuthal drift velocity of electrons is inversely proportional to radius, V sub e ~r -1, whereas the phase velocity of the wave has the opposite tendency, V sub ph ~r, and the electron space charge field promotes synchronism V sub e approximately equal V sub ph in the total interaction space when the gap between electrodes is narrow. However, for a magnetron with a small R sub c mismatch of the synchronism becomes so large that the appearance of additional electron drift leads to strong deformation of electron spokes, and even to the disappearance of the anode current I sub a.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADP022695

Entities

People

  • Edl Schamiloglu
  • H. Bosman
  • L. Bowers
  • M. Fuks
  • P. Mardhal
  • S. Prasad
  • T. Fleming

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Computer Simulations
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Emission
  • Electronics
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Magnetrons
  • Military Research
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Photoexcitation
  • Radiation
  • Space Charge
  • Vacuum Electronics

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster