Cooperative mode interaction during two-frequency oscillation in the diffraction radiation oscillator

The nature of mode interaction and a search for multifrequency oscillation regimes in the diffraction radiation oscillator (DRO) have been the objective of much research in both theory and experiment. However the so far observed multifrequency regimes are very likely characterized by mode competition, and the two-frequency operation in the hysteresis zone at electronic tuning sharply degrades the total level of the DRO output power. This work describes a synchronous two-frequency oscillation regime characterized by cooperative interaction of the excited modes in the DRO. The modes capable of cooperative interaction have been identified, and a prerequisite to the formation of two-frequency oscillation mode in a resonant active oscillator with distributed interaction has been established. The prospects for building coherent two-frequency radio systems with signal down-conversion upon cooperative mode interaction are discussed.