Calculation of Radiation from a Helically Cut Waveguide for a Gyrotron Mode Converter in the Quasi-Optical Approximation

We present results of calculations of the radiation from a helically cut waveguide launcher, a so-called Vlasov launcher, which is commonly used either internal or external to a gyrotron for purposes of mode conversion. A gyrotron internal mode converter consists of such a launcher that radiates the waveguide mode as a nearly Gaussian beam in free space followed by a set of mirrors to focus and direct the radiation. The radiation from the launcher is first calculated using a geometric optics representation of the waveguide mode. Then the radiation is calculated in the quasi-optical limit, including diffraction. These analytic results are compared to a rigorous calculation using the computer code SURF3D, which uses an electric field integral equation (EFIE) approach. Good agreement is obtained between the quasi-optical theory and the SURF3D calculation. The present results provide new insights into the accuracy of the quasi-optical theory and may be useful for the design and improvement of Vlasov-type mode converters.