Numerical simulation of 1.5 GHz vircator

Summary form only given. On the base of fully electromagnetic 3D computer simulation using KARAT code, an oscillator was designed to operate at 1.5 GHz. The device possesses the features of both the vircator and the split-cavity oscillator. The construction uses rectangular waveguides and includes the main running-wave cavity, the modulating cavity, a feedback loop, and the coaxial diode with explosive emission. No external magnetic field is used. The operating wave is TE/sub 10/ with possible further conversion into a Gaussian beam. The simulated efficiency of the vircator is /spl sim/10%. The device is resonant, the time of generation establishment is 15-18 ns. The microwave power is /spl sim/500 MW at a beam current of /spl sim/9 kA and diode voltage of /spl sim/600 kV. The oscillator is efficient in a relatively wide range of beam powers. Optimizations of various parameters of the generator were made in the simulation.