Design and operation of a dual vircator HPM source

To use two separate vircators simultaneously for two-frequency multipulse testing, we designed and constructed a versatile modulator which drives two vircators in parallel. We present details of the design, including vircator design with particle-in-cell simulations using CST Particle Studio® and MAGIC. The system operates as planned. Microwave output of the vircators under various operating conditions fits frequency varying inversely with the anode-cathode gap, although there is considerable scatter at larger gaps, likely due to cathode plasma non-uniformity.