Improved cathode design for long-pulse MILO operation

Author

Haworth, Michael D. ; Luginsland, John W. ; Lemke, Raymond W.

Author_Institution

Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Res. Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM, USA

Volume

29

Issue

2

fYear

2001

fDate

4/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

388

Lastpage

392

Abstract

An improved cathode design for a magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) has resulted in extending the radiated microwave pulse duration from 200 ns to over 400 ns. This was accomplished by maximizing the emission uniformity in the launch-point region of the cathode which, in turn, minimized anode plasma formation. The extended RF pulse duration has allowed us to find evidence of a new pulse-shortening mechanism late in the beam pulse: anode plasma formation in the load region

Keywords

cathodes; microwave oscillators; microwave tubes; 200 to 400 ns; anode plasma formation; beam pulse; bipolar flow; cathode design; emission uniformity; extended RF pulse duration; launch-point region; load region; long-pulse MILO operation; magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator; pulse shortening mechanism; radiated microwave pulse duration; Anodes; Cathodes; Computer simulation; Electrons; Insulation; Microwave oscillators; Particle beams; Plasma simulation; Power transmission lines; Radio frequency;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.922751

Filename

922751