High-Power Millimeter-Wave Micro-Sources for Communications & Radar Dominance

The proposed effort is to evaluate the feasibility of a W-band sheet-beam vacuum electronic device that can provide up to 1 kW of peak RF power at a minimum efficiency of 20%. Key elements of this effort are on the generation and transport of the sheet beam and its interaction with the RF circuit. The potential of employing a depressed collector to improve overall efficiency will also be investigated. As part of this effort, a proof-of-principle expreriment will be performed in the Phase-I to demonstrate the potential of the miniature plasma gun as a sheet-beam electron gun. Fabrication techniques will also be evaluated based on optimized beam and circuit parameters. The overall goal of this work is to define a Phase-II development strategy that is innovative yet based on achievable fabrication methods and tolerances.