Title :
A CW quasioptical gyrotron for materials processing
Author :
Fischer, R.P. ; Fliflet, A.W.
Author_Institution :
Div. of Plasma Phys., US Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given. The quasioptical gyrotron (QOG) is under development at the Naval Research Laboratory as a high power source of millimeter-wave radiation. Recent experimental results include the production of up to 150 kW output power with 20% efficiency in 13 /spl mu/sec pulses. A new application of the QOG is in the rapid sintering of high-strength ceramic materials and other heating processes. Millimeter-wave radiation is expected to heat samples much more uniformly and rapidly than conventional furnaces, resulting in improved material properties. The new experiment is designed to produce 4 kW average power from 75-95 GHz using a 20 kV, 1.5 A DC electron beam. The quasioptical resonator comprises two mirrors 6.9 and 13.5 cm in diameter separated by 70 cm with 3% diffractive output coupling at 85 GHz. Cold tests of the asymmetric quasioptical resonator are being performed to measure the quality factor (Q) and variation of Q with mirror alignment. Initial testing of the gyrotron involves pulsed measurements of output power, efficiency, electron pitch angle, mode spectrum, and output radiation pattern. This tunable quasioptical gyrotron complements existing material processing experiments at 2.45 and 35 GHz.
Keywords :
gyrotrons; 1.5 A; 13 mus; 13.5 cm; 150 kW; 20 kV; 20 percent; 3 percent; 4 kW; 6.9 cm; 70 cm; 75 to 95 GHz; 85 GHz; CW quasioptical gyrotron; DC electron beam; Naval Research Laboratory; asymmetric quasioptical resonator; cold tests; diffractive output coupling; electron pitch angle; heating processes; high power source; high-strength ceramic materials; material properties; materials processing; millimeter-wave radiation; mirror alignment; mirrors; mode spectrum; output power; output radiation pattern; pulsed measurements; quality factor; quasioptical resonator; rapid sintering; Ceramics; Gyrotrons; Heating; Laboratories; Materials processing; Mirrors; Power generation; Production; Pulse measurements; Testing;
Conference_Titel :
Plasma Science, 1996. IEEE Conference Record - Abstracts., 1996 IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3322-5
DOI :
10.1109/PLASMA.1996.550917