Theory and Experiment Investigate of a 400-kW Ku-Band Gyro-TWT With Mode Selective Loss Loading Structure

Abstract

A high-power Ku-band TE01 mode gyro-traveling wave tube (gyro-TWT) with a loss loading structure is designed, fabricated, and tested. A high beam quality magnetron injection gun generating 68-kV, 20-30-A electron beam is optimized to provide a high power radiation. A novel lossy ceramic loaded structure with mode selective attenuation ability is proposed to suppress the potential backward wave oscillation. The interaction circuit is analyzed by linear, nonlinear self-consistent theory, and experiment. An improved wideband input structure design is proposed accordingly. In the hot test, the proposed gyro-TWT produces a 420-kW maximum peak power, about 35-dB saturated gain, 23% efficiency, and more than 1.6 GHz (10%)-1-dB bandwidth in a stable operating condition.