Ferroelectric Switch for a High-Power Ka-Band Active Pulse Compressor

A future multi-TeV collider requires the development of new technology to achieve a much higher acceleration gradient. An active pulse compressor would enable this development by multiplying the power of Ka-band microwave pulses to obtain peak power levels that are unattainable from a single source. This active pulse compression can be achieved by rapidly switching the coupling between delay lines and a load, so as to discharge energy stored in the lines into the load. This project will develop an active switch based on the use of ferroelectric elements, for which the dielectric constant changes rapidly upon application of a voltage pulse. The switch will be used with the 34-GHz magnicon to constitute a test facility for high-gradient accelerator R&D. In Phase I, design studies, involving detailed simulations on realistic structures, were carried out for an active Ka-band switch to be used with delay lines. In these studies, the switch produced compressed pulses with peak powers in the range of 200 MW, as required for the development of high-gradient accelerator structures for a future multi-TeV collider. In Phase II, engineering designs for a high-power prototype of the ferroelectric switch will be fabricated and tested using a 34-GHz magnicon test facility. A pair of low-loss delay lines and a quasi-optical hybrid coupler will be assembled to test the overall concept. The prototype will be used to generate 200 MW pulses that will be used to extend the understanding of microwave breakdown, thereby enabling the design of high-gradient accelerators for a future multi-TeV collider. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: A high-power, rapid-acting Ka-band switch could be marketed for high-power testing of a variety of millimeter-wave components and could find applications in high-power advanced radars