Compact, Low-Voltage, Multiple-Beam Electron Gun for High-Power Miniature Millimeter-Wave Amplifiers

This program will investigate development of a multiple beam electron gun and permanent magnet transport system for a millimeter-wave traveling wave tube for electronic warfare, high-data-rate communications, and high resolution radar. A program goal will be to minimize weight to achieve a high power to weight ratio. The program will use controlled porosity reservoir (CPR) cathodes and innovative magnetic circuit techniques to achieve the program goals. CPR cathodes can provide high current density electron emission with high quality and long life. High current density emission eliminates requirements for high beam compression, allowing concentration of multiple emitters for interaction with the RF circuit. PPM focusing offers the minimum weight for high power RF sources, and the program will focus on investigation of innovative periodic permanent magnet (PPM) configurations previously demonstrated to provide the required field shape for multiple beam propagation. If no appropriate PPM structure is found, CCR will investigate permanent magnets producing uni-directional fields. The Phase I program will include 3D simulations of potential electron gun and magnetic circuit configurations. Test structures will be built and tested in the Phase I Option. A complete electron gun and magnetic transport system would be built and tested in the Phase II program.