O. T. Loza

Plasma relativistic microwave electronics

The principles of plasma relativistic microwave electronics based on the stimulated Cherenkov emission of electromagnetic waves during the interaction of a relativistic electron beam with a plasma are formulated. A theory of relativistic Cherenkov plasma microwave oscillators and amplifiers is developed, and model experimental devices are elaborated and investigated. The emission mechanisms are studied theoretically. The efficiencies and frequency spectra of relativistic Cherenkov plasma microwave oscillators and ampli-fiers are calculated. The theoretical predictions are confirmed by the experimental data: the power of the devices attains 500 MW, the microwave frequency can be continuously tuned over a wide band with an upper-to-lower boundary frequency ratio of 7 (from 4 to 28 GHz), and the emission frequency bandwidth can be varied from several percent to 100 percent. These microwave sources have no analogs in vacuum microwave electronics.

Relativistic Cherenkov plasma maser of microsecond pulse duration

Experiments with a Cherenkov plasma maser (CPM) driven by a high-current relativistic electron beam of microsecond pulse duration are described. The results obtained show that the principle of operation of the CPM makes it possible to avoid the problem of microwave pulse shortening, which is inherent to vacuum devices of relativistic high-current microwave electronics. A 800-ns microwave pulse with an energy of 21 J was obtained at a peak power level of 40 MW (the efficiency being 4%) in a broad (/spl sim/100%) frequency band.

Controlling the radiation frequency of a plasma relativistic microwave oscillator during a nanosecond pulse

It is shown experimentally and by numerical simulation that the radiation frequency of a 50-MW plasma relativistic microwave oscillator can be varied within 15% during a 60-ns-wide pulse by varying the plasma concentration. The plasma is generated by pre-ionization of a low-pressure gas. When the degree of ionization increases in a microwave field, the radiation frequency rises. Conversely, when plasma electrons are forced out by the electrostatic field of a high-current relativistic electron beam, the radiation frequency declines. By appropriately selecting the initial gas pressure and degree of gas ionization, one can control both trends and thereby the radiation frequency.

Repetitively rated plasma relativistic microwave oscillator with a controllable frequency in every pulse

A repetitively rated microwave oscillator whose frequency can be varied electronically from pulse to pulse in a predetermined manner is created for the first time. The microwave oscillator has a power on the order of 108 W and is based on the Cherenkov interaction of a high-current relativistic electron beam with a plasma preformed before each pulse. Electronic control over the plasma properties allows one to arbitrarily vary the microwave frequency from pulse to pulse at a pulse repetition rate of up to 50 Hz.

Fine structure of the emission spectra of a relativistic Cherenkov plasma maser

The evolution of the emission spectrum of a relativistic Cherenkov plasma maser is studied both experimentally and numerically. The frequency range of emission is 1.5–6 GHz at a power level of 50 MW and pulse duration of up to 500 ns. It is shown that the relativistic Cherenkov plasma maser is capable of producing both broadband (with a spectrum width of ∼1 GHz) and narrowband (≈ 40 MHz) microwave pulses with a tunable mean frequency. Calculations by linear theory and numerical simulations provide a satisfactory explanation of the specific features and the time evolution of the spectra observed. It is suggested that the plasma nonlinearity is responsible for the experimentally observed shortening of the microwave pulses and the broadening of the emission spectrum.

Variation in the radiation frequency of a plasma relativistic microwave oscillator within its nanosecond pulse

The radiation spectrum of a plasma relativistic microwave oscillator with a pulse power of 50 MW operating in the 10-GHz frequency range is studied experimentally. During a 60-ns-long microwave pulse, the radiation frequency may both remain constant and change by more than 1.5 GHz. The pressure of a gas that ionizes in the microwave field has a significant effect on the radiation frequency and thereby changes the concentration of a pregenerated plasma.

Control over the radiation spectrum of a microwave plasma relativistic oscillator

General features of the operation of microwave oscillators based on the Cherenkov resonance interaction of a high-current relativistic electron beam with a preformed plasma are considered. Emphasis is placed on the presence of longitudinal modes of the plasma-beam resonator that make it possible to tune the radiation frequency. Methods by which the radiation frequency can be varied severalfold continuously or in discrete controlled steps and the width of the spectrum of simultaneously generated frequencies can be changed substantially are described. The results of numerical simulations are compared with available experimental data.

Relativistic plasma microwave amplifier tunable within a 2–3 GHz frequency band

A relativistic plasma microwave amplifier tunable in a frequency range from 2 to 3 GHz has been studied. The output radiation spectrum and the electric field phase difference between the input and output signals have been measured for the first time. The output power reaches 30–70 MW and the amplifier gain is up to ≈30 dB.

Powerful microwave oscillator of microsecond pulse duration driven by relativistic electron beam

The present work continues experimental investigations of high-power microwave oscillator driven by relativistic electron beam. We studied the possibility to design a microwave source of microsecond pulse duration, usually restricted by plasma generation due to a few reasons. It is shown that the breakdown is determined by microwave discharge, initiated, in turn, by electron beam destruction and bombardment of the slow-wave structure walls. To depress the process of plasma accumulation we propose to apply a gyrotron with axially-symmetrical TE- type mode.

Mechanism of radiation pulse shortening in plasma relativistic microwave generator

The causes of emission quenching in the plasma relativistic microwave generator are studied by numerical calculations using the particle-in-cell method. The process mechanism in which the plasma boundary moves from the coaxial collector edge with a velocity above 107 cm/s is found. An electron flux with an energy of ∼105 eV and a current of ∼103 A is generated from the collector in the formed gap, which heats plasma and increases its potential. Microwave generation stops due to a multiple decrease in the wave reflectance from the collector. The use of the hollow collector is presumably a method for preventing microwave generation quenching.