Additive Manufacturing for Microwave Vacuum Electron Device Cost Reduction

The Department of the Navy has a need for the development of an additive manufacturing (AM) process for key vacuum electronic device components to meet on-demand, flexible, and affordable manufacturing requirements. The developed manufacturing method has a potential to reduce cost of vacuum electronics by as much as 70% as well as simplify and hence expedite production process of these devices by eliminating braze joints and thus also improve reliability. To demonstrate feasibility of the AM technology applied to vacuum electronics: during the Phase I effort a sample RF circuit structure will be built and a technique for printing metal to ceramic seals will be developed; during the Phase II effort, a full coupled cavity travelling wave tube (TWT) structure attached to two ceramic isolators on both ends will be built and demonstrated for RF performance (cold test), high voltage isolation, and ultra-high vacuum holding capability. This approach will also demonstrate the capability of single-step production of complex systems confirming clean and full density material conditions, mechanical tolerance, and surface roughness requirements. In addition, this development will also open opportunities for improved thermal management designs for RF circuit cavities as well as for more advanced RF circuit cavity designs.