Increasing Pulse Length and Repetition Rate of Relativistic Magnetrons and MILO
Abstract
This proposal is requesting support for a three year period to perform basic research that can lead to further improvements to relativistic magnetron operation and MILO operation. The relativistic magnetron is the most compact and efficient high power microwave (HPM) source. The MILO (Magnetically Insulated Line Oscillator) is an HPM source that is more efficient from a systems standpoint – it does not require an external magnetic field. Two main ideas are proposed that will be pursued in computation and experiments: 1) a relativistic magnetron with diffraction output (MDO) powered by a virtual cathode and incorporating a magnetic mirror field to in effect eliminate axial leakage current in its entirety, and 2) the use of carbon nanotube cathodes in relativistic magnetrons and the MILO. This latter topic will be in collaboration with Dr. Steven Fairchild at AFRL WPAFB who will be spending time at UNM in the Spring 2019 and beyond. For the magnetic mirror the University of New Mexico (UNM) will seek to study the implementation of a half cusp magnetic field to reflect the axial leakage current to achieve ultrahigh efficiency (>90%) relativistic magnetron operation. The benefit of the relativistic magnetron powered by a virtual cathode and magnetic mirror is that this device should not suffer from pulse shortening since there is no physical cathode in the interaction space. The benefit of the MILO portion of this research is that new computational tools and experimental techniques can be employed to study an HPM source configuration that has not been researched in the US for nearly 20 years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 14, 2022
- Source ID
- FA95501910225
Entities
People
- Edl Schamiloglu
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of New Mexico