High Power Microwave Generation from Rotating E-Layers in Magnetron-Type Conducting Boundary Systems

Studies of the production of microwave and millimeter wave radiation at high harmonics of the relativistic electron cyclotron frequency by the interaction of a rotating E-layer with a multiresonator magnetron boundary system have been conducted. The interaction of a 2 MeV, 1-2 kA, 5 ns cusp injected E layer of radius 6 cm with 12, 20, and 40 slot magnetron type waveguides are studied. Approximately 10% of the injected electron beam power is converted to microwaves at 12c (10 GHz), 2% at 20c (17 GHz), and 1% at 40¿c (34 GHz). We have theoretically examined this system via analyzing the resonant interaction of a doppler shifted electron beam mode with the modes of the conducting boundary system. The location of these resonant interactions in frequency agrees well with the observed spectrum.