Dual-band relativistic backward wave oscillators based on a single beam and dual beams

Abstract

Two types of relativistic backward wave oscillators (RBWOs) used to produce dual-band microwaves are proposed and investigated by use of the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation code KARAT [V. P. Tarakanov, User’s Manual for Code Karat (Berkeley Research Associates, Springfield, VA, 1992)]. The first type of RBWO, for generation of C-band and X-band microwaves, is designed based on a single beam and a sectioned structure. With an electron beam of 650 keV and 5.0 kA guided by a magnetic field of 2.0 T, an average power of 380 MW with a total power conversion efficiency of 11.7% is obtained and the frequencies are 5.48 and 9.60 GHz, respectively. By changing the distance between the two sections, single-band oscillations are realized with higher power conversion efficiency than that of the dual-band oscillation. The second type, based on a coaxial structure and dual parallel annular beams, is a dual-band RBWO designed with separated beam-wave interaction regions for generation of C-band and X-band microwaves. With a dual beam of 650 keV and 11.8 kA (the outer beam current is 6.4 kA and inner beam current is 5.4 kA) guided by a magnetic field of 2.0 T, an output power of 1400 MW with a total power conversion efficiency of 18.3% is generated and the frequencies are 4.60 and 8.40 GHz, respectively. PIC simulations demonstrate that the two beam-wave interaction regions operate independently. The two types of dual-band RBWO are also compared and analyzed.