Frequency Dependence of the Anode-Cathode Gap Spacing in a Coaxial Vircator System

Author

Andersson, Jon ; Jansson, Magnus ; Aberg, D.

Author_Institution

BAE Syst. Bofors AB, Karlskoga, Sweden

Volume

41

Issue

10

fYear

2013

fDate

Oct. 2013

Firstpage

2758

Lastpage

2762

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to investigate how the frequency of an electromagnetic pulse generated by an inward-emitting coaxial vircator is dependent upon the anode to cathode gap distance (AK-gap) in the vircator. Experimental tests of three different AK-gaps 29.5, 32, and 34.5 mm, were conducted with the high power microwave (HPM) system Bofors HPM Blackout. The system is working within the L- to S-band and the vircator is powered by a 1.8-kJ Marx generator at a maximum voltage of 600 kV. In addition, the experimental models of the coaxial vircators were also simulated in ATK MAGIC2D particle-in-cell code and the experimental frequency was compared with the theoretical frequency. The experimental frequency increased with decreasing AK-gap.

Keywords

anodes; cathodes; pulsed power supplies; vircators; ATK MAGIC2D particle-in-cell code; Bofors HPM blackout; L-band; Marx generator; S-band; anode-cathode gap spacing; coaxial vircator system; electromagnetic pulse generator; energy 1.8 kJ; high power microwave system; inward emitting coaxial vircator; voltage 600 kV; Anodes; Cathodes; Generators; Impedance; Microwave oscillators; Probes; Transmission line measurements; Coaxial vircator; high power microwaves (HPMs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2013.2275023

Filename

6583949