HIGH-POWER TRANSVERSE-MODULATION MICROWAVE GENERATOR WITH AXIAL-FIELD CONFINEMENT

ANALYSIS IS PROPOSED OF A VARIATION OF A RECENT INNOVATIVE CONCEPT FOR GENERATING HIGH-POWER MICROWAVES. THE CONCEPT EMPLOYS TRANSVERSE MODULATION OF A COLLIMATED, HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRON BEAM COMBINED WITH A BENDING MAGNET TO PRODUCE AXIAL BUNCHING IN AN OUTPUT CAVITY. A POTENTIAL DRAWBACK OF THE SIMPLEST VERSION OF THE CONCEPT IS THE LIMITING BEAM CURRENT DUE TO SPACE CHARGE EFFECTS. THE PRESENT PROPOSAL IS TO ANALYZE A VARIATION OF THE CONCEPT WHICH USES AN AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD TO CONFINE THE BEAM. THIS ALLOWS MUCH HIGHER CURRENTS, HENCE POWER OUTPUT OF POTENTIALLY MANY GIGAWATTS. THE VARIATION RETAINS THE BASIC PATH-LENGTH BUNCHING MECHANISM, WHICH AVOIDS THE DIFFICULTY OF LONGITUDINAL MODULATION OF RELATIVISTIC BEAMS. DETAILED ANALYSIS AND MULTI-PARTICLE SIMULATION OF THE AXIAL-FIELD VERSION ARE PROPOSED IN ORDER TO CHARACTERIZE THE POWER, EFFICIENCY, GAIN AND OTHER KEY PARAMETERS.