OPTICALLY DRIVEN MICROWAVE PULSE GENERATOR USING THIN FILM HIGH TC SUPERCONDUCTING Q-SWITCHED RESONATORS

HIGH TC SUPERCONDUCTORS HAVE MADE HIGH-Q, HIGH-POWER THIN FILM RESONATORS READILY AVAILABLE. THESE RESONATORS CAN BE USED TO GENERATE COHERENT MICROWAVE PULSES WITH HIGH PEAK POWER WHEN OPERATED IN THE Q-SWITCHING MODE. WE PROPOSE TO USE SEMICONDUCTING AND/OR POLYMER PHOTOCONDUCTORS AS OPTOELECTRONIC SWITCHING ELEMENTS TO ACHEIVE THE Q-SWITCHING PROCESS FOR THIN FILM PLANER MICROWAVE RESONATORS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT WITH CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FILM QUALITYAND DEVICE TECHNOLOGIES, A POWER GAIN OF 10 CUBED TO 10 4 CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH PEAK POWER LEVEL IN EXCESS OF 10 WATTS. SUCH DEVICES WILL GREATLY REDUCE WEIGHT AND POWER CONSUMPTION WHEN COMPARED TO THE MORE CONVENTIONAL VACUUM TUBE-BASED PULSE GENERATORS.