-

AD—A07 1 087 NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC F/S 20/5

THE ELECTRON CYCLOTRON MASER AS A HIGH—POWER TRAVELLING—WAVE AM——ETC(LJ)
JUN 79 J L SEFTOR, V L GRANATSTE IN, K R CHU
UNCLASSIFIED P~ L—MR 3989 ML

_ _
_ I

W
END

8 -7 9
- —--
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

S
4

NRL Memorandum Repors 3989

The Electron Cyclotron Maser as a

Hi gh—Power Travelling—Wave Amplifier
of Millimeter Waves
J. L. SEFTOR , V. L. GRANATSTEIN , K. R. CHU , P. SPRANGLE , AND M. READ

~~~ Electr on Beam App lica€ions Branch

Plasma Physics Division ‘
~~~ ,
-
~~ ‘

~
j
“~ \; .
~~ H

June 19, 1979

>-

S r L
La_i
-~,
-.:A’
~~~~~
JUL 12 1919~~

cI
~~~~~~

NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY

Washington, D.C.

App.~~ .il for public releuae; di.tribution unlimited .

‘i 9 U’j 12 014

__________________________________________________ ________________
S E C U R I TY C L A S S I F I C A T I O N OF T H I S P A ’ ~~ (lb) ,.n O.s .Eot• •d)
~
DCD(SOT I I U I• T IE••kI Q READ INSTRUCTION S
I L~~ I ~~ I UJ r’ U
~~~ E BEFORE COMPLETING FORM
~~~
1. ~~~~~~~ ~~ u u e E R A C C ES S I O N NO. 3. R E C I P I E N T s C ATAL QG MBU
~~ ~~~~
NRL Memorandum Report 3989 .
/ I -

is 1 l T L E ( .~I d S ~.buu.) . . 5. .~~~~~~~ SMP~QRT k PENIOO COVLREO

THE ~ LECTRON CYCLOTRONJYIASER AS A HIGH-PO~JER Interim el)~~t Ofl a continuing

TRAVELLING-WAVE AMPLIFIER OF MILLIMETER WAVES . NRL-PrsibThm,.
6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT N uMSER

________ —- S. C O N T R A C T OR G RA N T NUMSERI .)
- - . —. -—~~— i
J. L./Seftor *, V. L.~Granatstein , K. R. Chu , P. ‘SPran ~lef and
M. Read . . . _ _ - -._ . -. .~ - ______

~ PERFO RMI NG O R G A NI Z A T I O N NAM E AND ADDRESS 10. PR O G RA M ELE M ENT . PROJE C T , T A $ ~

A REA A ROPE UNIT NUM PERS
Naval Research Laboratory NRL Problem R08-92 - XF54581007
Washington , DC 20375 NRL Problem R08-95 . W31RPD-93-
_____________________________________________________ Z082
II. CONTRO LI. NG OFFICE N AM E A N D ADD RE SS IS . REPORT D A T E
~
Naval Electronic Systems Command , Washington , DC 20360 and June 19, 1979
Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Technology Cen ter , ~s. NUMBER OF PAGES
Huntsville, Alabama , 35807 28
oIIh,j 0111,.) _ ASS . (of t?D ripert)
IA. MONITORING AGE NCY NAM E S A OORESS(II d
,
,I
.
,.ll , Do., Cont
~ ~S. SECURI’PI Cl ~
I
- - . . .-
.
UNCLASSIFIED
/ .
/ f
. / ‘ I5~~. DEC%_ ASS IFI CA TI ON/ DOWNGRA OING
SCHEDULE

1$. DIST RI B UTION S T A T E M E N T (of ff1. R.pb,l)

Approved for public release ; distribution unlimited.

77, OIS T RIO uTIO N S T A T E M E N T ‘~ / 1f, o •baI,acl .nt.f•d In 8lock 2G . If a(

lI
.
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. R.porI)

IS. SIJPPLEMENTARY NOTES

*present Address: Science Applications , Inc., McLean, Virginia 22101

Work supported by the Naval Electronic Systems Command , Task No. XF 54 581 007 , and by the Army
Ballistic Missile Advanced Technology Center, MIPR No. W3IRPD-93-Z082.
75 . KEY W O ROS (ContIn~ .on
.,.
,,.. .ii n.c....,y d Id.OIII V ~y b(o,~~ ni~..b.,)
~~ ~
Electron cyclotron maser
Gyrotron travelling wave amplifier
Millimeter wavelengths

30. A BS T RA C T ( Con ,!,,, . on

.. .,~ . .jd . If n.c. .•
, y .
,
a Id.nUfy by bl.~ k n.~a.b•r)
instability has been exploited as the basis for a new type of
~ The electron cyclotron maser
travelling wave amplifier which operates at unusually high power levels at millimeter wavelengths.
The first experi mental model of this amplifier has been operated at 35 0Hz and has demonstrated
a stable gain of 17 dB and an output power of 10 kW (unsaturated). The gain was linear over a
dynamic range > 30 dB. The absolute value of the gain and its dependence on current and magnetic
field were in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations. Bandwidth and saturate d power
(Continues )

DO ‘ “°‘
, ~~~ ,, ~473 EO i0N OF I N O V A S IS O B SOLET E
102- 114- 660 1
~~~~
I S E C U R IT Y C L A S S , F I C A IOH or T H I S P A G E (UR.n 00.. INIS1IRI
 V
4

G E C U RIT C L A S S I F I C A T I O N OF THIS PAGE (W) on 0.’. EnI.,.d)

~

20. Abstract (Continued)

have yet to be measured directly but no fundamental problems w7fre observed which will prevent
I

successful achievement of the design predIctions (viz., bandwidth ,~~~ 10%, power on the order of
10~ waLLs, efficie ncy > 10%). ,
,
\

A ’
JL -

14

Ii S( UA I T Y C L A S S I F I C A T I O N OF THIS P A G E ( W 6 0. 0.1. £nI.,.4)

~~

- - --
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ _ _ _ _ _
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION 3

FIRST OPERATION OF A GYROTRON TRAVELLING WAVE

AMPLIFIER 8

COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS WITH THEORY - ... 12

DISCUSSION 16
REFERENCES 18

_ ‘ _
i ~~~ L~ .

ill

/
 THE ELECTRON CYCLOTRON MASER AS A HIGH-POWER TRAVELLING-
WAVE AMPLIFIER OF MILLIMETER WAVES

INTRODUCTION

Research studies of the elect ron cyclotron maser , both theoretical

[1—5 ] and experimental [6—B] began two decades ago . These studies have

now led to the development of an important new class of millimeter—wave

oscillators known as gyrotrons [9]. The most outstanding results with
gyrotron oscillator cavities have been reported by research workers in

the Soviet Union ; their results include the following: 1, 5 kW , cw , at

A = 0.9 mm with 6% efficiency [10]; 22 kW , cw , at A 2 mm with 22% ef-

ficiency [11]; a 1.1 MW pulse at A 3 mm with 34% efficiency [11]; and
a 1.25 MW pulse at 6.7 mm with 35% efficiency [11]. The pulse duration
in the last two megawatt level experiments is believed to be 0.1 m s and

5 ms respectively [12]. Development of high—power gyrotron oscillators

of the cw and long pulse variety is also underway in the United States
[ 1 3, 14].

It is clear from the above that gyrotron oscillators nave produced

power leve ls that are or ders of ma gn itu de lar ger t han prev ious ly ava il-
able at millimeter wavelengths,and with good efficiency . These oscil-

lators have already been applied to heating plasmas in controlled ther-

monuclear fusion research [15]. Although the gyrotron oscillator is well
suited to heating applications , more sophisticated systems (e.g., corn—

munications , radar) require amplifiers with substantial instantaneous

bandwidth.
Note : Manuscript submitted March 1, 1979.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 In 1 975, an experiment on the electron cyclotron maser instability
in an intense relativistic electron beam demonstrated wideband amplif 1—

cation [16]. This led to a comprehensive nonlinear theory of the elec-

tron cyclotron maser as a travelling wave amplifier Li?], and to the

optimized design of such a device at a frequency of 35 GHz [18]. The

design predicted that the type of’ high power and efficiency which char—
ac t.er izes gyr otron osc illators woul d als o be obta ina b le in th e gyrot ron
amplifier (viz., 340 kW at 51% efficiency), while at the same t ime , pre—

dieting a bandwidth of several percent. In this paper , we report the

first Operation of the gyrotrori travelling wave amplifier which was con—

structed according to that optimized design.

~,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ~‘t ~INCIPLf~S OF OPEHAT ION

Before proceeding with a specific discussion of’ the amplifier , we

will outline for the readers ’ convenience the general principles under—
ly ing the operation of elect ron cyclotron masers. For simplicity, we
will assume that the electrons are moving transverse to a steady magnetic
field , ~~~~~, and that the unquant ized electron velocity component parallel
to B is negligible.
0

The quant um mechanical description of’ the amplification of a fast

electromagnet ic wave by int eract ion with free electrons gyrat ing in a

steady magnetic field comes from the work of Twiss [1] and Schneider [2].

Two necessary condition s for wave amplification have to be simultaneously

sat isfied [ 1] ; v i z . ,

ef/ ~ W > 0 (1)

and
3Q/aW < 0 (2)

where W is electron kinetic energy , f (W) is the electron distribution

function, and Q(W) is the transition probability for stimulated a ission.

~
aTuatia-t (1) is the familiar requir~~~nt for population inversion , and is

achieved in electron cyclotron masers by constructing an electron gun

that produces a beam of electrons wI~~se transverse energy is sharply

peaked around same nonzero value .

The condition in Eq. (2) is also realized in electron cyclotron

masers since the spacing between quant ized energy levels decreases with

- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
. ~-
.
L .
- - ‘..
-
 1

increasing energy . Solution of the relativistic Schroedinger’ equation

gives the following expression for the electron kinetic energy levels

[19 ]:

2 [1+ 2(q+1/2 Q 2 1/2 mc 2

Wq = mc ~~ 0/mc ] (3)
-

where q = 1 ,2 ,3 . . . ; spin has been neglected ; and the non relativistic

electron cyclotron frequency = e B0/m. It is easily shown that Eq.

~
(3) is equivalent to

Wq = (q+1/2)h ci 2/(1+y (q)) (14 )

0

where the relativistic energy factor y(q) = (w +mflc2) /mc2. The form of’
q
Eq. ( 14 ) makes clear that relativ ist ic eff ec ts serve to decrea se the

spacing between energy levels as energy increases. In the limit of very

lar ge q , where all electron cyclotron masers have operated, the spacing
between energy levels becomes here W
w %/ i is the relativistic
~~ce ce
electron cyclotron frequency . Incident radiation with frequency slightly
larger than W
ce or its hain~ nics (i.e., w S W ; s = 1, 2 , 3 . . . ) will
favor stiirmulated emission, while u Sw will favor absorption .
~~ ce

The class ical descr ipt ion of the electron cyclotron maser is closely

analogous to the quantum mechanical description. In its high power em-

bodiment , the electron cyclotron maser contains an annular beam of elec-

trons that propagates down a drift tube guided by an axial maguetic field,

each of tne electrons has lar ge transverse energy, usuall

y larger

than the streaming energy , and so follow a helical path about the mag-

net ic field lines. The Larmor radius, rL, is usually much smaller than

_ ~~~~~~~~ I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- .
 I
the radius of the annular beam , r b , so that in cross—section the beam

appears as in Fig. 1. In contrast with conventional microwave tubes , the

beam diameter may be large r tha n the wave lengt h at which amplification

occurs (v i z . , A 21Tr / B
L
where is the transvers e velocity normalized

to c) . Thus , a large high—power beam is compatible with operation at

short wavelengths.

Wave amplificat ion is attributable to phase bunching of the elec-

trons in their cyclotron orbits. In Fig . la , the electrons are shown as

their interact ion with an electromagnetic wave begins . The electrons

have almost a single value of transverse energy but are randomly distrib-

uted in phase . A wave with an azimuthal electric field will decelerate

electron 1 and accelerate electron 2. Thus, init ia lly some electrons

lose energy while others gain energy depending on the initial phase of
and there is no net wave amplification. However , the cyclotron

fre q uency , W = eB /my is a function of energy. For electron 1 which is

ce 0
decelerated , ‘r decreases, W increases , and the electron will advance in
ee
phase in its cyc lotron orbit . Similarly, electron 2 will slip back in

phase. The resulting phase bunching will favor wave damping if the wave

freque ncy is slightly smaller than the cyclotron frequenc~, or its harmon-
’
ics in the reference frame where axial electron energy vanishes (W .
~~

sW ); this is depicted in Fig. lb.

ce

On the other hand , if’ w ’

~
SW
ce~ wave amplification is favored as
shown in Fig . ic. All the electrons are decelerated and lose eri~rgy to

the wave. ~{alf a cyclotron period later , the net azimuthal notion of the
electrons has reversed , but s ince t h e ph ase of t h e wave also reverses in

I .— . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 — - — — -‘- —— — -—- - — - -----—- -
— -
~

approximately half a cyclotron period , the wave continues to decelerate

the electrons and extract energy. This synchromism between the orbiting
electrons and the field implies that in the laboratory frame , the fre—

quency of the wave is approximately equal to the Doppler shifted cyclo-

tron frequency (viz., W~~~ W +k V )• Wave amplification is maximized

ce z z
when , in addition , the group velocity equals the axial electron velocity

(viz., ~w/ ~k v 7).

The electron cyclotron maser can be viewed as a hybrid combining

attributes of molecular lasers with attributes of classical microwave

tubes, and thereby filling the gap in the electromagnetic spectrum at

millimeter and sub—millimeter wavelengths where efficient , high—power
coherent sources have been unavailable in the past. Molecular lasers
emit at most one photon per molecule; thus, while they are well adapted

to generating powerful radiation in the optical and infrared , power gen-

eration becomes much more difficult when frequency and photon energy is

scaled down toward the millimeter—waveband . On the other hand , classical

microw ave tubes are based on beams of free elect rons, and radiate a huge
number of’ photons per particle with little change in frequency ; however ,
the wavelength of radiation is not a characteristic of the 7 articles but
is determined by the physical dimensions of some resonant structure such

as a wire helix . Microwave power tubes typically operate at wavelengths

of several centimeters. In scaling microwave tubes to smaller wave—

lengths in the millimeter waveband , the physical dimensions of the tube

structure are scaled proportionately smaller and their power handling

capacity rapidly diminishes.

6
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -- - -

The elect ron cyclotron maser is based on a beam of’ free electrons
and thus emits many quanta per particle. In addition , the frequency is
fixed by a characterist ic frequency of the part icle (i.e. , the elect ron
cyc lotron frequency) and no small— scale resonant structures are required .

Thus , the practical development of the electron cyclotron maser has made
possible a leap in power generation capability at millimeter wavelengt hs .

7
 _ _ _ ___ ---— — -
- ~ - -
-— —
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ ~

FIRST OPERATION OF A G~(R 0TR0N TRAVELLING WAVE AMPLIFIER

We now proceed to describe the results of initial experiments with a

gyrot ron travelling wave amplif !er. Interactions between radiation in

the TE01 circular waveguide mode (azimuthal electric field )and the fun-
damental cyclotron mode of an electron beam were studied . The beam is

annular , and is generated by a magnetron injection gun. A careful gun

design was performed to create a beam with a velocity distribution which

would favor the process [20]. With the ratio of transverse to axial
momentum chosen as p /p = 1.5 , the gun design attempted to minimize
0 ~0
momentum spread. A computer analysis of electron trajectories for the

chosen gun configuration indicated that momentum spread in the beam would

~ ~~ “ r-’~ 0 = ~
be 2 p /P10 l0 . This beam is propagated down a uniform
~
metallic tube for interaction with an injected r.f. signal. Both gun and
tube are placed within a superconducting solenoid , which provides a converg-

ing field at the gun , and a uniform field over the interaction region.

The microwave circuit which was used in the experiment is shown in

Fig. 2. A driver tube feeds a microwave hybrid which produces two equal

signals , 180° out of phase, in rectangular waveguide . These r.f. input

signals are injected at two azimuthally opposed positions on the circular

drift tube near the gun. Such a configuration launches a TE wave which
01
propagates in the same direction as the beam (an absorber eliminates the

backward moving wave). The interaction between the beam and the radia-

tion can occur over the downstream length of the uniform field , which is
17 cm. Beyond this , the magnetic field rapidly decreases , and the elec—

troris , which are guided by the field lines , are collected on the wall.

0~ -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The electromagnetic wave continues to propagate down the tube , towards

its exit at a vacuum window. Beyond this window , a TE mode filter ,

On
followed by a mode converter, change the radiation from the TE circular
01
mode to the fundamental rectangular waveguide mode . Standard wavegu ide
components are then used to evaluate the output radiation.

In order to determine the electronic gain due to the cyclotron maser

mechanism, measurements were made of the power coming through the system
with the electron beam on, and the beam off. Any effect due to the unop—

timized input coupler or wall losses in the drift tube are, thereby , sub—

stracted out of the gain measurement.

The optimized design values for this device as taken from reference I

[18] are listed in Table I. The aim of the designs was to produce an
output power of ~ 100 kW at 35 GHz with good efficiency , gain , and band-
width. By tuning magnetic field it is possible to trade off efficiency
and power for gain and bandwidth. Column (a) gives predicted performance
when B is chosen to optimize efficiency and column (b) gives predicted
0
performance when B is chosen to optimize gain. Both t~p /p ~~ and
0
were considered to be negligible in these calculations. The geometry and
electron beam parameters are held constant for both design (a) and design
(b), a 71 kV , 9.5A electron beam being assumed in both cases.

When the device was operated at ‘ > amps , however , oscillation

b ~
)nissions generated in both the TE
occurred . 1~ forward wave , and the
01
TE backward wave w’~re identified . This backward wave was measured by
21
detaching the driver tube and measuring the power coupled out through the

a: - — .- — - - - -—-— —---- _--

~~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
P inp ~~ waveguid~ . Amplifier measurements , therefore , were performed at

lower currents. The variation of gyro—TWT output as a function of’ input

power level was measured , and is shown in Fig. 3. The lines of constant
gain which best fit the data are also plotted . The linear gain shown in
Fig. 3 was demonstrated , at 3.5 amps, to extend over a range of’ at least
30 dB. The systemat ic wiggles in the experimental data points of Fig. 3

are thought to be due to frequency pulling in the driving source as its

output pc~ er is varied.

Because the input r.f. does not couple all its power into the grow-
ing wave , a careful analysis of the gain process , including the transient

effects near the r.f. injection point , is required . We have performed

such an analysis and have found that the electric field E(z), at any
position z, is given by

E (z) = E [I1+ l4cosh(rz) • (cyst-1(rz)+cos(p~ rz)) / 3] (5)

0

where E is the init i.al electric field , and r is the spatial growth rate.
0
2l~
For rL > 1 , we find that the power gain in dB is given by

G =— 10 1og 10 9 + 8.686rL. (6)

The first term on the right hand side of Eq . (6) represents the cou-
pling loss due to some of the input radiation exciting waves which do not

grow exponentially .

The line through each set of data points in Fig. 3 fixes a measured

value of gain from which a growth rate may be determined according to Eq.

10

_ _
 (b), using 17 cm as the value for L. The values correspond to growth

rates r )
~.14 , 0.1~ , and 0.18 cm ~ for ‘
b 3.5 , 6.0, and 7.5 A
respective ly .

• In Fit - . L~, output power , P , is plotted as a function of

0 ~~ the
axial magnetic fiel l in the amplification region,with current held con—
• stant at I 3.5A. The output power peaked at -
~~ 13 kG with half
power points falling at 12.7~ kG and 13.16 kG. This represents an exper—

imental width ~B/B = 2.9%. The output power was also observed to have
0
a broad peak as V , the electron accelerating voltage , was varied; P
0
I
changed by less than 1 dB as V was swept from 67 kV to 70 kV.

11

L ____
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 CO PA ~ ISO~1 OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS WITh ThEORY

-~s discussed in refs . 22 and ~23~ the wave amplification process is

described in cylindrical coordinates (r, e , z) by ~i set of’ three self—

consistent equations :

~. the linearized relat ivistic Vlasov equation ,

• 3/ 3x e (v x (1)
( 3 / 3: + V —
~~~~~ )f
( 1) 1)
e ~ + v x ~ ) . (~~/ ap)f (7)

where is electron velocity, ~ is elec t ron momentum , f and f (1) are

0
the equi1ibrii~ i and perturbed election distribution functions respec-

tivelv, and ~~~~ B~1~ are the wave fields of the TE waveguide node;
0~

2. the expression for the perturbed beam current density

.( 1)
_eJf~~~v 8d 3p ; (8)

3. the wave equation

+
2, : iWt )JrJ~ l)
- - = J (~~ r)dr
~~~~~~~~~~ (9)

wn ere x~ is tne i th non— zero root of J (x) 0, r~ is the waveguid e

~ 1 =

ra~ i~~ and x/r .

12

L •~~~~~~:: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
 To solve these three equations , one must fi rst specify the form of

the initial electron distribution function in terms of the constants of’

motion of the system , namely , the perpendicular and parallel nomenta p

and and the canonical angular noment~in To be consistent with the

~z’
experimental configuration that all the electron guiding centers are ap-

proximately located on the same cylindrical surface defined by r = r , we

0
choose f to be of the form

K ~ (r~ — 2P /eB — r~ )g (10)

~~i’~ z~ ’

where 6(x) is the Dirac delta function , r p /eB is the electron

L 1 0
• Larmor radius, ~(p ~ ,p~ ) is an arbitrary function of p 1 and p satisfying
~
3p = 1 , and K is a normalization constant chosen to
fgd satisfy
• Jr 0 2irrdrd 3p = N , where N is the number of electrons per unit ax ial
length.

Using the methods of ref. [23] , the set of equations (7) through

(10) has been solved to yield the following dispersion relation for the

interaction between the TE waveguide mode and the .S—th electron cyclo-
on
tron harmonic. -

5
2
pdp ~~~dp g (p ,p )
~
- -

yr 2E (x )
(II)
2 2 ( -
- k c )p H ( r , r
S ~~ Q ~~ L~
- ~W
f
~
22
~~m c (w - k~v~
- SW )
k v
~ ~ - SWee

13
r

where v = Nr , r = u e2/411m = 2.8x 10 12 cm is the classical electron

2
:ad ius , H ( x , y ) :J
~ (x) J (y)J , and Q (x ,y) ~ 2H (x ,y ) +
5
2 2 2 2
yJ (y)J (y) {J (x) (l ~
s~ ix ~ t- [J (x) J } ~ 2s J (x) T (x)J ’ (y) yJ ’ (y) -
J (y) /xy.

The amp litude growth rate per unit length (I’) has been solved for
nume rically from Eq. (11) for the mode and cyclotron harmonic in the

cx ~ criment (n=s=l) and an assumed Maxwellian momentum distribution ,

g(p 2 2 2 2
= C exp ~ (p -p ) /L~p~ -
1 ~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~

wher e c is a normalization constant . The values of ReLuJ , r ,r ,$

~ w 0 ZO
snd have been chosen to correspond to the experimental values listed

• in Table I. Voltage and current were chosen as V = 70 kV and ‘ = 3.5 A

b
corresponding to the experimental parameters in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5 , the

c al c ula t ed v a lues of ampli t ude g row th ra te , F, are plo tt ed as a func t ion

of the axial magnetic field with the beam momentum spread , T =

.
~p / p , as a parameter .

For ease of comparison with the experimental data of Fig. 3 the

growth rate peak has been marked on each curve in Fig. 5. Also marked

i s th e wid th of eac h curve , ~ B/B , at the points where F equals 85% of

i ts peak value ; it may be seen from Eq. (6) that a 15% drop in I’ cor re-

sponds to a 3 dB decrease in gain when the peak gain is 10.5 dB.

It is observed from Fig. 4 that for a cold beam (Tho) the peak
v~ 1ue of i’ (falling at B 1
= 13.5 kG) is 0.40 cm while ~ B/B = 6.7%.

The se values are considerable larger than the experimental values

(viz., i’= 0.14 cm 1 at B~~~ 13.0 kG and ~ B/B = 2.9%) . However , the
0
calculated values of peak F, the corresponding value of B
0
and ~ B/B Q all

decrease as the momentum spread increases. For a momentum spread T =

P 15% , Fig . 4 shows that the calculated peak value
1
ofF at B = 13.1 kG

is 0.16 cm while ~ B/B 2.7%. These calculated values are in good

0
• agreemen t with the experimental data , indicating both the suitability

of theoretical model and the fact tha t elec t ron monentuin spread was

T - ~ l5% in the experiment .

Last , we note that the theoretical model outlined above predicts

that growth rate will depend on beam current as F .— ~~~~~~~ [23]. This

dependence of growth rate on current is also borne out by the experi-

mental data of Fig. 3.

15

• -
L. • •. • • •
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 —~~~ -~~~~~~~~~ •~~~ —

DISCUSSION

The linear operation of’ a gyrotron travelling wave amplifier has

been successfully demonstrated over a dynamic range > 30 dB . Although

input power was limited and the device was not driven into saturation ,

the output power level of 10 kW was already hi gh compared with power

available from conventional travelling wave amplifiers at 35 GHz.

It was found that experimental parameters could be closely predicted

by linear theory . This agreement between experiment and theory was found
for the absolute value of gain , the scaling of gain with current and the
variation of gain with magnetic field. Thus one has some confidence that

other predictions of the linear theory will also be accurate. Specifi-

cally , we have now made a preliminary calculation of the bandwidth of the

amplifier including a momentum spread of T 15% in the calculations. We

f i n d t h a t for B = 13.4 kG the calculated bandwidth is 10% when peak gain

0
is 20 dB; this is only a small degradation from the 11% bandwidth listed

i n Table I f o r the case of a cold beam (T = 0 ) . We are in the process

of using the non-linear theory to calculate the degradation in effic iency

that may be expected with a 15% momentum spread .

A wideband and efficient input coupler is being developed so that

the bandwidth and saturated pc~ier level may be measured direct ly . Future

work will also include development of mult i—stage amplifiers so that

higher gain wil l be demonst rated .

Although at an early stage in its development the gyrot ron promises

to revolutionize high—power millimeter—wave technology . Gyrotron

16

— ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ -
~~~ ~~
o3~ illator~3 are already being effectively applied to controlled thermo—

r~~ lear fusion research . rhe first operation of a gyrotron travelling

wave amplifier described above indicates that the gyrotron amplifier may

prove to be at least as i”iportant a device as tne oscillator with wide

applicability to con~iunicat ions and radar systens .

The authors thai~ Dr. - . Jor y , Mr. R. Lucey and Dr. L. Barnett for
:~ e p fu l ii~~uss ions and ex~ erimental assistance .

•— •-~--- -• — — ~~~~~~ --- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 - - ;•- • C ; - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ — •: •- • — - — —
_• - •

-
REFERENCES

[1] R.Q. Twiss, “Radiation transfer and the possibility of negative

absorption in radio astronomy” , Aust. J. Phys., vol. 11 , pp 564—
579 , December 1958.
[2] J. Schneider , “Stimulated emission of radiation by relat ivistic
electrons in a magnetic field” , Phys. Rev. Letters , vol . 2 , pp 50’4—
505, June 15, 1959 .
[3] A.V. Gapc~iov , “Addendum ”, IZV . VUZ . Radiofizika, vol. 2, no. 5,
p. 837 , 1959 .
[4] G. Bekefi, J.L. Hirshfield and S.C. Brown , “Kirchoff ’ s radiat ion
law for plasrnas with non—Maxwellian distributions”, Phys. Fluids ,
vol. 4, pp 173—176 , February 1961.

[5] W.E. Lamb , Jr. , in Lectures in Theoretical Physics, ed. by C. Dewitt,

A. Blandin, and C. Cohen Tannondji , Gordon and Breach , New York ,
—

1965 .
[6] R.H. Pantell, “Backward wave oscillations in an unloaded waveguide”,
Proc. I.R.E., vol. 47, p. 1146 , June 1959.
[7] I.B . Bott , “Tunable source of millimeter and sub—millimeter electro-
magnet ic radiat ion ”, Proc. IEEE , vol. 52, pp 330—331 , March 1964;
also, “A powerful source of millimeter wavelength electromagnetic
radiation ” , Phys . Letters, vol. 14, pp 293—294, February 1965.

[8] J.L. Hirshfield and J.M . Wachtel, “Electron cyclotron maser” , Phys.
Rev. Letters , vol. 12 , pp 533—536 , May 11 , 19614 .

[9] See the following review papers: V .A. Flyagin , A.V. Gapanov , M.I.
d Petelin and V.K. Yulpatov , “The Gyrotron ” , IEEE Trans.; M icrowave
Theory and Technique , vol. M’rT—25, pp 514—521 , June 1977; and, J.L.
Hirshfield and V.L. Granatstein, “The Electron Cyclotron Maser —

An Historical Study ” ibid . pp 522—527 .

• [10] N.I. Zaystev , T.B. Pankratova, M.I. Petelin and V.A. Flyagin,
“Millimeter and sub—millimeter gyrot rons ” , Radio Engineering and
Electronic Physics, vol. 19 , no. 4, pp 95—99 , April 1974.
[11] A.A. Andronov , V.A. Flyagin, A.V. Gapanov , A.L. Gol’denberg, M.I.
Petelin , V.G. Usov and V.K. Yulpatov , “The gyrotrori; high power
source of millimetre and submillimetre waves”, Infrared Physics,
vol. 18, pp 385—394, December 1978.

[12] V.A. Flyagin, private communication.

18

• —• -•
—~~~~~~- • ~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~ -•
•• •
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ -
-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘-•
 -- _______ - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13] H. Jory , S. Hegji, J. Shively , R. Symon s , ‘t Gyrot ron Deve lopments ” , Micro-
[
wave Journal , vol. 21, pp . 30-3)4 , August 1978.

M. Read, L. Seftor, R. Lucey, K. R. Chu , J. D. Silverstein and V . L.

Granatstein , “A High Power 35 0Hz Microwave Source for ECRH” , 1978 IEEE
In ternational Converence on Plasma Science , Monterey , Calif ., 15-17 May,
1978, IEEE Conference Record , 78CR 1357-3 NP~ , p. 302.

E15~ V . V. Alikaev, C. A. Bobrovskii, V. I. Poznyak, K. A . Razumova , V. V.

A. Sokolov and A. A . Shmarin , “ECR plasma heating in TM-3
~annikov,~u.
Tokamak in magnetic fields up to 25 kOe” , Fiz. Plazxny , vol. 2, pp 390-395,
1976 (Soy . J. Plasma Phys ., vol. 2, pp 212-215, 1977).
Granatstein , P. Sprangle , M. Herndon , R. K. Parker and S. P. Schlesinger ,
~L6] V. L.
(
“Microwave amplification with an intense relativistic electron beam ,”
J. Appl. i hys., vol. ~46, pp 3800-3805, September 1975.

117] P. Spran gle and A . Drobot, “The linear and self-consistent nonlinear theory
of the electron cyclotron maser instability” , Trans. IEEE Microwave Theory
and Technique , vol . MTT-2 5, pp 528-5~4i- , June 1977; also, P. Sprarigle and
W. M. Manheimer, “Coherent Nonlinear Theory of a Cyclotron Instability” ,
Phys. Fluids, vol. 18, pp 22~4-23O , February 1975.

18] K. R. Chu , A. T. Drobot, V. L. Granatstein and J. L. Seftor , “Character-

[
istics and Optimum Operat ing Parameters of a Gyrotron Travelling Wave
Amplifier” , IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques , vol . MTT-27,
pp. 178-187, February 1979.

[191 L. Landau, “ Paramagnetism of metals” , Z. Phys., vol. 6)4, p. 629, 1930.

r2o] J. L. Seftor, K. R. Chu , A. T. Drobot , “ An investigation of a magnetron

injection gun suitable for use in cyclotron resonance rnasers” , IEEE Trans .
Electron Devices (to be published).

f2l] P. Sprangle and B. Smith , “Forward and Backward Wave Operation of the
Electron Cyclotron Maser” , to be submitted to Physics of Fluids .

[
22~ M . Friedman , D. A . Hammer, W. M. Manheimer and P. Sprangle , “Enhanced
Microwave Emission Due to Transverse Energy of a Relativistic Electron
Beam” , Phys . Rev. L e t t ., vol . 31, pp. 752-755, September 1973 .

23] K. R. Chu and A. T. Drobot, “Theory arid single wave simulation of the
(
gyrotron travelling wave amplifier operating at cyclotron harmonics” ,
Naval Research Laboratory Memorandum Report 3788, August 1978 (unpublished).

19

IIlk_ •~~~~~~ - •~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Table I. Parameters from Optimized Designs of
Gyrotron Travelling Wave Amplifiers (Cold electron beam)

(a) Optimized for (b) Optimized for

Maximum Energy Maximum Gain

Magnetic Field, B0 12.9 kG 13.14 kG

Amplitude Growth Rate, F 0.23 cm 1 or 2.0 dB/cm 0.53 cm~ or 14 .6 dB/cm
Efficiency 51% 22%
Bandwidth (20 dB gain) 2.6%
Output Power, P 3140 kW 150 kW ¶
0

-
Voltage , V 71 kV

C urrent , ‘ 9.5A
b
Freq uency , w/2 w 35 GHz
Wa ll rad ius , r 0.54 cm
~
Guiding center radius, r 0.25 cm
0
Larmor radius, rL 0.061 cm

Bzo ~~v zo /c 0.27

v 0/c 0.40

20

_ _
___

E
9

(b) W vE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

w £ W ce

E3~ ~~~~~~
‘ ELECTRON
~~
2 ,

WAV E
E9
W>W
~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~
AMPUFICAT}ON

~a) NIT ~~L RANDOM -~

PHASE OF E v
-

E9
Fig. 1 — A Classical Representat ion of the Operation of the High Power
Eiectron Cyclotron Maser. Cross—sect ion of annular electron
beam is shown . Steady state magnetic field points outward from
page .

( a) I n i t i a l l y electrons are oriented randomly in phase with

resp ect ‘to azimuthal electric field of wave

(b ) Wher.wave frequency is slightly smaller than the electron

c : ~ otron frequency , ~ , electrons become bunched in
phase in t h e i r cyclotron o~~ its in such a way as to favor
absorption of wave energy .

Cc) When ~ > phase bunch ing favor s wave amp li f c a t i on .

21

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22

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23

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24

- -~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-

~~~~

0.45 —
I’ = .40 cm ’ ___
= ~~~~~~~~ - =

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

// ~—~r--N\\\ ~
-
~~~ 0.2 —

/ \
0~~:-

0.05 — 2.7% ~•3°’~

0 ’ I , I i I i I
~~~~ I 1 I
~~~~
13.0 13.2 13.4 13.6 13.8 14.0 14.2 14.4
B0(kG)
Fig . 5 — Theoretical Calculations of Amplitude Growth Rate , r , as a
Funct ion of B (V 70 kV , I — 3.5A , w/2~ 35 GHz).
0

25