Low-frequency, multigigawatt microwave pulses generated by a virtual cathode oscillator

Abstract

An axially extracted virtual cathode oscillator driven by a 4 MV, 80 kA elecron beam has been used to generate microwave pulses with an average peak power of 7.5 GW at a frequency of 1.17 GHz. Peak power efficiency was 5.3% and energy efficiency was 2.3%.