E. Rakova

Multipactor in rectangular waveguides

Multipactor inside a rectangular waveguide is studied using both an analytical approach and numerical simulations. Particular attention is given to an analysis of the role of such effects as the velocity spread of secondary emitted electrons and the action of the rf magnetic field on the electron motion. Conventional resonance theory is shown to give correct predictions for the multipactor threshold in cases where the height of the waveguide is very small and first order resonance multipactor dominates. In cases of higher order resonances, an accurate prediction of the multipactor threshold requires that the spread of the normal component of the electron emission velocity is taken into account. Furthermore, the spread of the tangential component of the electron emission velocity and the action of the rf magnetic field are shown to be very important when the waveguide height exceeds a certain critical value, which depends on the waveguide width. A new theory is developed for predicting the multipactor thre...

Conformal mapping analysis of multipactor breakdown in waveguide irises

Multipactor breakdown in a single waveguide iris is analyzed using the quasistatic approximation for the spatial distribution of the rf field in the iris. Based on the conformal mapping approach, an analytical description is given of the rf field structure in the iris. It is shown that in the central part of any iris with a length to height ratio greater than approximately 0.5, the rf field structure is close to that between two parallel plates. The multipactor threshold for the iris is determined mainly by electron losses from the central part of the iris where the losses are due to the tangential component of the emission velocity of secondary electrons. The effective length of the iris central part is determined and an estimate of the multipactor threshold for the iris is found in terms of the conventional parameters: Applied rf voltage, product of rf frequency and iris height, and iris length to height ratio. Numerical simulations are also carried out using the exact analytical description of the quasistatic rf field and taking into account a spread of electron emission velocities.

Effect of emission velocity spread of secondary electrons in two-sided multipactor

Detailed numerical simulations of the two-sided multipactor have been carried out within a plane-parallel model. The main aim of the simulations is to clarify the uncertainty that still exists in the literature concerning the overlapping of multipactor zones. Three different codes (Monte Carlo, particle-in-cell, and statistical) were used to calculate the multipactor charts within a wide range of parameters such as spread of initial velocities of the secondary electrons and maximum value of the secondary emission yield. It was found that an increase in the spread of initial velocities results in overlapping of the multipactor zones, provided the secondary emission is high enough. In the opposite case, an increase in the spread of initial velocities leads to a suppression of the higher multipactor zones.

Multipactor breakdown in waveguide irises

A detailed analysis is made in order to establish the multipactor breakdown threshold in wave guide irises. The analysis involves an analytical investigation based on the conformal mapping technique and also extensive numerical simulations. Comparison with recent experimental results shows good agreement. The main goal of the work is to obtain multipactor charts for the iris, i.e. the breakdown voltage as a function of the frequency - gap product, for different height to width ratios of the iris.

Polyphase (non-resonant) multipactor in rectangular waveguides

The polyphase multipactor, i.e. the non-resonant form of secondary electron emission rf discharges in vacuum, has been analysed and studied experimentally. The multipactor discharge was observed in an evacuated standard rectangular waveguide through which pulsed high-power microwave radiation in the decimeter wavelength range was transmitted. The power interval in which the two-sided (between the wide walls of the waveguide) multipactor appeared has been determined. It is found that there is a characteristic delay time for the onset of the multipactor breakdown as compared with the time at which the microwave power is applied. The dependence of this delay time on the microwave power has been established. The experimental results are compared with results of numerical simulations which make it possible to estimate the secondary emission properties of the waveguide walls. Reasons for some observed discrepancies between numerical results and experimental data are discussed as well as the nature of the observed multipactor delay.

Multiphase regimes of single-surface multipactor

Single-surface multipactor is studied within a plane-parallel model for the case when the rf electric field is normal to the surface of emission and the electron return to this surface is caused by the action of a dc electric field. The corresponding resonance zones are found for finite initial velocity of the secondary electrons. The new multiphase regimes of multipactor are found by numerical simulations of a successive series of electron trajectories. The existence of these regimes is shown to result in a considerable broadening of the multipactor zones. This conclusion is also confirmed by particle-in-cell simulations.

Simulations of the Multipactor Effect in Hollow Waveguides With Wedge-Shaped Cross Section

Multipactor discharges in waveguides with wedge- shaped cross section are studied both analytically and by means of numerical simulations. It is shown that similar to the case of a rectangular waveguide, a trapped electron trajectory is possible in a wedge-shaped waveguide; however, this trajectory is unstable with respect to small deviations of launch time and initial position of the electrons. Numerical simulations have been carried out taking into account a spread of the electron initial velocity and the action of the radio frequency magnetic field on the electron motion. The simulation results show that growth of the multipactor avalanche is possible in the wedge-shaped waveguide; however, the multipactor threshold in terms of the transmitted power is higher than for the rectangular waveguide with the same propagation constant and cross-section area.

A one-dimensional study of the evolution of the microwave breakdown in air

The microwave breakdown in air is simulated numerically within a simple 1D model taking into account a perturbation of electromagnetic field by plasma. The simulations were performed using two qualitatively different codes. One of these codes is based on computation of Maxwell equations, whereas the other one utilizes an approximation of quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic field. There is a good agreement between simulation results obtained by using both codes. Calculations have been carried out in a wide range of air pressures and field frequencies; also varied were initial spatial distributions of plasma density. The results reveal strong dependence of the breakdown evolution on the relation between the field frequency and the gas pressure as well as on the presence of extended rarefied background plasma. At relatively low gas pressures (or high field frequencies), the breakdown process is accompanied by the stationary ionization wave propagating towards the incident electromagnetic wave. In the case of...

Microwave Multipactor Breakdown Between Two Cylinders

An analysis has been made of the microwave breakdown threshold for multipactor in an open structure comprising two parallel cylinders, approximating, e.g., parts of a helix antenna. The electron motion in the corresponding electromagnetic field is analyzed by separating the motion into a slowly varying drift velocity (driven by the ponderomotive force due to the electric field inhomogeneity) and a rapidly oscillating part (driven by the oscillating electric field). Furthermore, the curvature of the cylindrical surfaces of emission is shown to give rise to a new effect that implies a loss of electrons. This leads to a more stringent multipactor breakdown condition for the two-wire structure than for the classical situation corresponding to the case of two plane parallel infinite plates. The importance of this effect is determined by the ratio of the cylinder radii and the distance between the cylinders, and it is shown that when this ratio is small, multipactor can only occur for surfaces having very large secondary emission coefficients. A detailed analysis is also made to determine the lowest voltage between the cylinders at which multipactor becomes possible.

Breakdown simulations in a focused microwave beam within the simplified model

The simplified model is proposed to simulate numerically air breakdown in a focused microwave beam. The model is 1D from the mathematical point of view, but it takes into account the spatial non-uniformity of microwave field amplitude along the beam axis. The simulations are completed for different frequencies and different focal lengths of microwave beams. The results demonstrate complicated regimes of the breakdown evolution which represents a series of repeated ionization waves. These waves start at the focal point and propagate towards incident microwave radiation. The ionization wave parameters vary during propagation. At relatively low frequencies, the propagation regime of subsequent waves can also change qualitatively. Each next ionization wave is less pronounced than the previous one, and the breakdown evolution approaches the steady state with relatively small plasma density. The ionization wave parameters are sensitive to the weak source of external ionization, but the steady state is independe...