Beam-plasma processes relevant to high-power wide band plasma-filled microwave sources

Main features of non-relativistic Cherenkov-type beam-plasma microwave amplifier with hybrid plasma-cavity slow-wave structures are described. The estimations of fundamental parameters of beam-plasma microwave device based on analysis of cylindrical beam-plasma system in external magnetic field are presented: Plasma density (up to 10¹² cm⁻³ electron beam (3 A, 20 kV, 3·10⁹ cm⁻³) magnetic field (0.25 T), working gas pressure (1·10⁻³ Torr) and also current threshold for electron-electron instability as a stage of beam-plasma discharge. Results of experimental investigation of beam-plasma in propagation channel of electrodynamic structure carried out in the presence of microwave generation are given. Beam-plasma amplifier has been created to operate at output microwave power over 20 k W, electron efficiency up to 35 % and pass-band width 30 %.