The multifunction traveling-wave tube: A versatile microwave component for military systems

The traveling-wave tube has become an important circuit component for both military and commercial electronic equipment. Currently, however, most of the applications of the traveling-wave tube are restricted to a single major function: rf amplification with fixed gain characteristics accommodated by a single set of rf couplers. This paper describes a novel type of traveling-wave tube which differs from the conventional traveling-wave tube in that it fulfills several important functions independently and simultaneously. The device contains two independent rf output circuits rather than a simple output coupler within the same amplifier package; one circuit provides the usual octave gain and power capabilities of the traveling-wave tube, and an additional output circuit having less rf gain can be designed for a number of other useful system applications. This property, for example, can be designed to enable the device to accommodate a wide range of signal strengths such as encountered in the search and tracking functions of a radar receiver.