X-band magnicon amplifier experiment

Summary form only given. An experimental program to develop a frequency-doubling magnicon amplifier at X-band is discussed. This magnicon will require a sequence of 3 or 4 deflection cavities in order to generate the required transverse momentum, followed by an output cavity operating at twice the drive frequency. The initial experiment was designed to measure the gain between two such deflection cavities operating in the TM/sub 110/ mode at 5.7 GHz These cavities were powered by a 170-A, 500-keV electron beam immersed in an 8.1-kG magnetic field. In low-power amplifier experiments, a gain of /spl sim/15 dB was observed in the preferred circular polarization, at a frequency shift of approximately -0.18%; a gain of /spl sim/3 dB was observed in the opposite circular polarization, at a frequency shift of approximately +0.06%. These results are in good agreement with theory and numerical simulation.