Improved magnetron injection guns for high power RF applications

Summary form only given. Irrespective of the type RF device, the starting point for RF power production is generation of a high quality electron beam. The quality of the electron beam is determined by the optical design of the gun and the quality of the cathode. Unfortunately, RF engineers have insufficient control of cathode quality. A vacuum test facility has been constructed for measuring work function variations over the surface of magnetron injection guns. The electron gun from a CPI 140 GHz gyrotron is to be analyzed in the test chamber to locate regions of reduced emission. Nondestructive and, if necessary, destructive analysis is to be used to determine the cause of the reduced emission. Once causes are determined, modifications to materials, processes, techniques, or procedures are to be explored, in association with cathode manufacturers, to eliminate the causes of work function variation.