New pencil tube and cavities for air traffic control

This paper describes a new electron-tube technology that incorporates the techniques of miniaturization, high reliability, fast warmup, superactive cathode emission, high-altitude voltage standoff, high impact shock, variable-frequency vibration, and high-and low-temperature operation. This technology makes possible a systems approach to pulsed electron tubes and integral cavities tailored to the needs of the expanding aircraft market. The critical parameters and design objectives for a transponder, an interrogator, and a collision avoidance system are discussed.