Theoretical and experimental studies of W-band relativistic surface-wave oscillator of planar geometry

Abstract

This paper presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies of a surface-wave oscillator (SWO) of planar geometry excited by a ribbon high-current relativistic electron beam. Within the framework of the quasi-optical approach and direct three-dimensional particle-in-cell modeling, we demonstrate the advantages of open transverse edged configuration against the closed one for effective mode selection at a fairly large oversize factor. In the experiments carried out on the basis of the SINUKI accelerator (Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 1 kA/650 keV/17 ns), we form a magnetically guided ribbon electron beam with a cross-section of 0.3 × 20 mm2, which moves parallel to a slow-wave structure with a period of 1.75 mm. A planar W-band SWO both of open and closed edged configuration has been experimentally tested. In full agreement with modeling, the open configuration exhibits much more stable operation, where at a frequency of 75 GHz, we observe pulse generation with duration of about 7 ns. The output power measured by the calorimetric method reaches 25 MW.