Axially Partitioned Dual Band Magnetically Insulated Line Oscillator

Abstract

In this article, an axially partitioned magnetically insulated line oscillator (MILO) to generate high-power microwave (HPM) with two frequencies in different bands is presented. The electromagnetic characteristics of the dual band MILO (DBMILO) in the absence of an electron beam are investigated to ensure the resonance condition. The RF performance of the device is analyzed through particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. The proposed DBMILO is designed to operate in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S$ </tex-math></inline-formula>- and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$X$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bands for the input dc voltage and current of 500 kV and 56 kA, respectively. A peak RF power of &#x007E;3.6 GW with peak power conversion efficiency of &#x007E;12.8&#x0025; at 3.4 and 10.1 GHz is detected through PIC simulation. Practical concerns with the HPM source, such as RF breakdown and anode plasma generation at the beam collector in the proposed design, are also explored, along with possible solutions.