A master-oscillator-driven phase-locked vircator array

Summary form only given, as follows. Phase locking of a vircator array driven by a relativistic magnetron in a pure master-slave configuration has been achieved. A single high-voltage pulse drives the relativistic magnetron and the vircator array in series. Phase locking occurs for ~40 ns. The time required to lock is ≃10 ns. The peak array power is ≃1 GW. The injection ratio, ρ, and allowable frequency difference, Δf, relationship required for phase locking was examined. The results suggest that the Adler´s inequality, p>(Q/Δf) f, is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for predicting phase locking. A hybrid configuration in which the driven vircators are also mutually connected has also been attempted. Phase locking was observed with better phase stability than in the pure master-slave configuration