Effect of conductive perturber diameter on nonresonant measurementof interaction impedance for helical slow-wave structures

The measurement accuracy of the interaction impedance for a helical slow-wave structure (SWS) using the nonresonant perturbation method has been studied using conductive wire perturbers with different diameters. Data obtained by the measurement were compared with a rigorous numerical analysis. It is shown that the measured values of the interaction impedance for the helical SWS converge to those obtained by using a three-dimensional finite-element computational method when the diameter of the perturber is reduced to less than 10% of the helix diameter     

螺旋线慢波结构的参数变化对其冷测特性的影响

本文介绍了用MAFIA软件的准周期边界条件计算螺旋线行波管慢波结构的色散和耦合阻抗等冷测特性的方法,并重点对慢波结构中各参数,特别是矩形螺旋线截面的宽度和厚度对其冷测特性的影响进行了分析.这是目前理论上没有解决的难题.分析结果表明,螺旋线的宽度和厚度对其色散影响不大,而对耦合阻抗有一定影响.对耦合阻抗而言,螺旋带宽度和厚度都存在一个最佳值.     

CST MWS软件模拟三维螺旋线慢波结构

本文介绍了用CST MWS软件的周期边界条件计算行波管螺旋线慢波结构的色散和耦合阻抗等冷测特性的方法,用采取螺旋带模型的理论分析计算结果和实验测试值加以验证,取得了比较一致的结果;并应用这种MWS的模拟方法和螺旋带模型的计算方法分析了具有扇形和T形夹持杆慢波结构的冷测特性,结果表明,相速和耦合阻抗都随着扇形角度的增大而减小,随着T形窄端宽度的增加而减小,随着T形窄端高度的增加而增大.     

Parametric Simulation and Optimization of Cold-test Properties for a 220 GHz Broadband Folded Waveguide Traveling-wave Tube

Characterized with full-metal structure, high output power and broad bandwidth, microfabricated folded waveguide is considered as a robust slow-wave structure for millimeter wave traveling-wave tubes. In this paper, cold-test (without considering the real electron beam) properties were studied and optimized by 3D simulation on slow-wave structure, for designing a 220 GHz folded waveguide traveling-wave tube. The parametric analysis on cold-test properties, i.e., phase velocity, beam-wave interaction impedance and cold circuit attenuation, were conducted in half-period circuit with high frequency structure simulator, assisted by analytical model and equivalent circuit model. Through detailed parametric analyses, interference between specified structural parameters is found on determining beam-wave interaction impedance. A discretized matrix optimization for interaction impedance was effectively carried out to overcome the interference. A range of structural parameters with optimized interaction impedance distributions were obtained. Based on the optimized results, a broadband folded waveguide with cold pass-band of about 80 GHz, flat phase velocity dispersion and fairly high interaction impedance was designed for a 220 GHz central frequency traveling-wave tube. A three-dB bandwidth of 20.5 GHz and a maximum gain of 21.2 dB were predicted by small signal analysis for a 28 mm-long lossy circuit.     

A broad-band slow-wave structure for a millimeter traveling-wave tube amplifier

A new filter-type slow-wave structure, which is considered as an interdigital line loaded with inductance in shunt, is described in this paper. The results of the cold-test study of the structure are presented in terms of the phase velocity and impedance measurements. For the structure studied, interaction takes place between multiple electron streams and the axial electric field of the +1 space harmonic. The circuit has broad-band properties of phase and interaction impedance as a circuit for a traveling-wave amplifier. The maximum deviation of the phase velocity for a 30 per cent bandwidth has a value on the order of ±0.3 per cent. The structure is suitable for use as a high-power amplifier operating with a 20 per cent bandwidth in the millimeter-wave region.     

Investigation into the Effect of Dielectric Loss on RF Characteristics of Helical SWS

A general theory has been developed to account for the effect of the dielectric loss of discrete rods on the performance characteristics of an actual helical slow wave structure (SWS). The effect of the lossy dielectric rods has been studied on various propagation parameters, namely, phase propagation constant, interaction impedance and attenuation constant at different operating frequency. It is clearly shown that the influence of dielectric loss on RF characteristics is much larger at the millimeter frequency band than that at the microwave frequency band, especially on interaction impedance and attenuation constant. The general theory developed here has been further confirmed by comparing the results with those obtained elsewhere for some special cases.     

Analysis of the circular-arc-shaped helical groove slow-wave structure

This paper concerns a new circular-arc-shaped helical groove all-metal structure, and emphasizes the propagation characteristics of the slow wave. By using approximate field-matching conditions, the dispersion equation and the coupling impedance of this circuit are obtained. The dispersion curves and coupling impedances of the fundamental wave and some harmonics are calculated and the influences of various circuit dimensions are discussed. The calculation results show that the bandwidth can be improved by increasing the arc angle or decreasing the pitch of the structure; a 50% bandwidth is achieved by deviating the phase velocity within ±5%. As a new slow-wave structure for a travelling wave tube, this circuit has an attractive feature, namely the bandwidth is broad while power capacity is high.     

Analysis of Helix Slow Wave Structure for High Efficiency Space TWT

This paper describes the analysis of helix slow-wave structure (SWS) for a high efficiency space traveling wave tube that is carried out using Ansoft HFSS and CST microwave studio, which is a 3D electromagnetic field simulators. Two approaches of simulating the dispersion and impedance characteristics of the helix slow wave structure have been discussed and compared with measured results. The dispersion characteristic gives the information about axial propagation constant (Beta). Which in turn yields the phase velocity at a particular frequency. The dispersion and impedance characteristics can be used in finding the pertinent design parameters of the helix slow-wave structure. Therefore a new trend has been initiated at CEERI to use Ansoft HFSS code to analysis of the helix slow wave structure in its real environment. The analysis of the helix SWS for Ku-band 140W space TWT has been carried out and compared with experimental results, and found is close agreement.     

Characteristics of Arbitrarily-Shaped Helical Groove Slow-Wave Structure Loaded with a Concentric Dielectric-Rod

The dielectric-rod is loaded on the central axis of the arbitrarily-shaped helical groove slow-wave structure. Meanwhile, the profile of the groove is replaced by a series of continuous rectangular steps. The unified dispersion equation of the arbitrarily-shaped helical groove waveguide loaded with a concentric dielectric-rod is obtained by means of a combination of filed-matching method and admittance-matching technique. Then, the effect of the change of groove shape and the dielectric-rod parameters on the dispersion and coupling impedance is approached by theory calculation. The results show that: loaded with dielectric-rod, the bandwidth of the helical groove traveling wave tube (TWT) is effectively broadened, but the coupling impedance is reduced. Among the five different groove shapes, the triangle-type groove has the widest bandwidth but the smallest coupling impedance, and the swallow-tailed-type groove has the narrowest bandwidth but the largest coupling impedance.     

Accurate parametric modeling of folded waveguide circuits for millimeter-wave traveling wave tubes

In this paper, results of different models are compared for calculating effective, cold-circuit (beam-free) phase velocities and interaction impedances of folded waveguide (FW) slow wave circuits for use in millimeter-wave traveling wave tubes (TWT). These parameters are needed for one-dimensional (1-D) parametric model simulations of FW traveling wave tubes (FWTWTs). The models investigated include approximate analytic expressions, equivalent circuit, three-dimensional (3-D) finite difference, and 3-D finite element. The phase velocity predictions are compared with experimental measurements of a representative FW circuit. The various model results are incorporated into the CHRISTINE1D code to obtain predictions of small signal gain in a 40-55 GHz FWTWT. Comparing simulated and measured frequency-dependent gain provides a sensitive, confirming assessment of the accuracy of the simulation tools. It is determined that the use of parametric 1-D TWT models for accurate, full band predictions of small signal gain in FWTWTs requires knowledge of phase velocity and impedance functions that are accurate to <0.5% and <10%, respectively. Saturated gain predictions, being approximately half as sensitive to these parameters, appear to require correct specification of phase velocity and interaction impedance to within /spl sim/1% and 20%, respectively. Although all models generate sufficiently accurate predictions of the interaction impedance, not all generate sufficiently accurate predictions of the effective axial phase velocity.     

Analysis of helical slow-wave structures for space TWTs using 3-D electromagnetic simulators

This paper presents a detailed analysis of traveling wave tube (TWT) helical slow-wave structures (SWSs) using three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic simulators. The main advantages of this approach are its capability to take into account the real 3-D geometry of this complex structure, and consequently to eliminate the approximations used in the analytical approach. In addition, it provides higher accuracy than experimental results. Two different methods have been applied (finite elements and finite integration) to predict the cold parameters (phase velocity, coupling impedance, and attenuation) at a level of accuracy higher than the usual practice. An extended analysis has been performed to guarantee the stability and accuracy of the results, as well as to study the sensitivity of the results to the discretization. This paper has shown that both methods, as implemented in two commercially available simulators, are perfectly suitable for the accurate modeling of such complex geometries.     

Flatband Slow Light in Asymmetric Line-Defect Photonic Crystal Waveguide Featuring Low Group Velocity and Dispersion

In this paper, an asymmetric photonic crystal (PC) waveguide is proposed for slow light transmission. A row of air holes is removed to form a line-defect waveguide, and the lateral symmetry of the waveguide is broken by shifting the holes in the PC cladding on one side along the waveguide axis. Two structural parameters are carefully adjusted: the amount of shift compared with the array of holes in the cladding on the other side, and the radius of the holes closest to the waveguide core in the shifted PC cladding. In the asymmetric waveguide, it is possible to obtain flat band modes with low group velocity (c/50) and low dispersion (on the order of 10⁴ ps²/km) over a signal bandwidth of 40 GHz. The delay-bandwidth product (DBP) of the proposed slow-light device is analyzed and compared with the DBP of the PC waveguides reported in literatures. We find that our structure yields a significant increase in DBP, and improves the effective bandwidth in which we can obtain slow modes with both low group velocity and vanishing dispersion.     

Analysis of a U-shaped vane-loaded helical slow-wave structure for wideband travelling-wave tubes

The dispersion equation and interaction impedance of a U-shaped vane-loaded helical slow-wave structure (SWS) is obtained by considering the azimuthal space harmonic in the non-vane region and the helical tape thickness, using the field theory matching method in the azimuthal field discontinuity. The theoretical calculation by electromagnetic analysis is consistent with the simulation result by MAFIA, which can explain some physical essence of the SWS. In the helical SWS, negative dispersion is reported to reduce the second harmonic content of a wideband travelling-wave tube at the low-frequency end of the band. When the SWS is assembled, the support rods are easily located in the groove of the vane. The solution provides a new instruction method for other types of vane-loaded helical SWS.     

Investigation of the Dielectric-Loaded, Ridged Helical Groove Slow-Wave System for the Millimeter Wave TWT

A dielectric-loaded, ridged helical groove slow-wave structure for the millimeter wave traveling wave tube is presented in this paper. The effects of the groove depth, ridge dimensions and the dielectric permitivety on the wave propagating properties and the interaction impedance are investigated in detail. From the analysis, it is indicated that for broader band amplification in a helical groove travelling wave tube, a ridged helical structure with shallow groove and loaded by dielectric with proper relative permitivety may be applied.     

一种具有新型分立介质支撑的翼片加载螺旋带慢 波结构的研究

本文研究了一种具有新型分立介质支撑的翼片加载螺旋带慢波系统,该种慢波系统具有较高的功率容量和较宽的带宽.通过用切比雪夫多项式来展开螺旋带上的面电流,用真空层来模拟螺旋带的厚度,用均匀分层介质来等效新型分立介质支撑,考虑到过渡连接金属块的影响,用场论的方法得到了非常实用的色散方程和耦合阻抗的表达式,同时进行了HFSS模拟,发现用场论的方法所得出的结果与用HFSS模拟的结果吻合良好.本文的结果对这种新型慢波结构的设计具有指导意义.     

Tape Analysis of an Inhomogeneously-Loaded Helical Slow-Wave Structure for Broad-Band Traveling-Wave Tubes

Theoretical simulation of the dispersion and interaction impedance characteristics of an inhomogeneously-loaded helical slow-wave structure is validated. The structure is supported by double-curve-shaped rods which are smoothed out into a number of dielectric tubes with their respective effective permittivity values. The effects of the helix thickness are taken into account by considering a free-space gap equal to the difference between the mean helix radius and the outer helix radius. Moreover, the helix tape model is used instead of the simpler sheath-helix model. The theoretical predictions are compared with those of MAFIA simulation. The dispersion error is found to be within 3–6 percent and the impedance characteristic is in great agreement with that of MAFIA simulation. At last, for the sake of comparison, the cold-test characteristics under sheath-helix model are also provided.     

Wave Properties of A Free Elliptical Helix Slow-Wave Structure with Arbitrary Eccentricity

This paper gives the investigations of the fundamental wave of a free elliptical helix slow-wave structure (SWS) with arbitrary eccentricity. The wave properties including the phase velocity characteristics, interaction impedance and the longitudinal electric field distribution of this mode has been fully studied. It is found that, when the eccentricity increases, the interaction impedance and the operating frequency of such SWS will be improved, which allows to have a higher gain and operating in a higher frequency band. Furthermore, the field configuration is different from that of a round helix; the azimuthal distribution of the E-field follows with the angular Mathieu function of the first kind, even with mode of zero. In radial, E-field is elliptical surface wave. When the eccentricity tends to zero, all the characteristics will be smoothly degenerates to the case of round helix correspondingly.     

Velocity and current distributions in the spent beam of the backward-wave oscillator

Results are presented of an experimental study of the spent beam of a backward-wave oscillator. The instantaneous velocity and current of the spent beam are measured using a velocity analyzer built onto the collector of a scaled 80-mc backward-wave oscillator. The tube employs a sheet beam and interdigital line, 12 feet long. It is designed to be representative of large-space-charge tubes. The measured trajectories of the spent beam are examined to deduce the mechanism of interaction between the beam and the circuit along the whole length of the tube. It is deduced that the level of oscillation is determined by nonlinear effects in the convection current. Finally, the RF output efficiency saturation at high beam currents is found to be caused by electrons which fall back in phase from a retarding to an accelerating circuit field.     

Accordion shape monofilar axial mode helix for RFID reader

An accordion shape monofilar axial mode helical antenna designed by curving the helix along the axis is proposed. This antenna achieves a low-profile characteristic as the 10-turn helix's axial length is 0.354/spl lambda/. The impedance bandwidth (SWR<1.5) is 9% from the frequency of 880 to 963 MHz and the axial ratio bandwidth (AR<3 dB) is 6.5%. The measured gain is 10.2 dBi. This antenna operated at the centre frequency of 915 MHz and has a tilted radiation of 17/spl deg/ to the curving side.     

Validation of HFCS-I on Calculation of High-Frequency Parameters of Helical Slow-Wave Structures

To validate HFCS-I, a newly developed design tool for high frequency circuits of microwave tubes, the high-frequency parameters (including dispersion, interaction impedance and attenuation constant) of a typical helical slow-wave structure (SWS) for millimetre wave travelling-wave tube are calculated by HFCS-I and MAFIA. Both the direct calculation method and the Non-Resonant Perturbation (NRP) technique are adopted to get the interaction impedance. The obtained high-frequency parameters from HFCS-I and MAFIA are compared in detail and the consistency has proved the reliability and validity of HFCS-I.