A new configuration of vircator for efficient, narrow-bandwidth microwave generation

A new configuration of virtual cathode oscillator (vircator) was investigated by numerical calculation using particle-in-cell simulation code. In this configuration, a cylindrical cavity is located between the electron beam source and the waveguide. Simulation results show that the vircator oscillation in the waveguide is determined by the cavity mode. As a result, the microwave amplitude is not affected by the electron energy spread of 3 %, and no significant change of the oscillation frequency is observed even with a 25 % variation of the electron current.