The electron cyclotron maser (ECM) is based on a stimulated cyclotron emission process involving energetic electrons in gyrational motion. It constitutes a cornerstone of relativistic electronics, a discipline that has emerged from our understanding and utilization of relativistic effects for the generation of coherent radiation from free electrons. Over a span of four decades, the ECM has undergone a remarkably successful evolution from basic research to device implementation while continuously being enriched by new physical insights. By delivering unprecedented power levels, ECM-based devices have occupied a unique position in the millimeter and submillimeter regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and find use in numerous applications such as fusion plasma heating, advanced radars, industrial processing, materials characterization, particle acceleration, and tracking of space objects. This article presents a comprehensive review of the fundamental principles of the ECM and their embodiment in practical devices.

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The electron cyclotron maser

This article reviews the state-of-the-art in high-power microwave source research. It begins with a discussion of the concepts involved in coherent microwave generation. The main varieties of microwave tubes are classified into three groups, according to the fundamental radiation mechanism involved: Cherenkov, transition, or bremsstrahlung radiation. This is followed by a brief discussion of some of the technical fundamentals of high-power microwave sources, including power supplies and electron guns. Finally, the history and recent developments of both high-peak power and high-average power sources are reviewed in the context of four main areas of application: (1) plasma resonance heating and current drive; (2) rf acceleration of charged particles; (3) radar and communications systems; and (4) high-peak power sources for weapons-effect simulation and exploratory development.

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Review of high-power microwave source research

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Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Conference: Focussing on Tokamak Research

In order to support the operation of ITER and the planned experimental programme an extensive set of plasma and first wall measurements will be required. The number and type of required measurements will be similar to those made on the present-day large tokamaks while the specification of the measurements—time and spatial resolutions, etc—will in some cases be more stringent. Many of the measurements will be used in the real time control of the plasma driving a requirement for very high reliability in the systems (diagnostics) that provide the measurements. The implementation of diagnostic systems on ITER is a substantial challenge. Because of the harsh environment (high levels of neutron and gamma fluxes, neutron heating, particle bombardment) diagnostic system selection and design has to cope with a range of phenomena not previously encountered in diagnostic design. Extensive design and R&D is needed to prepare the systems. In some cases the environmental difficulties are so severe that new diagnostic techniques are required. a Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0029-5515/47/6/S07/pdf

Chapter 7: Diagnostics

This review discusses the present state-of-the-art of passive high-power microwave components for applications in microwave systems for RF plasma generation and heating, plasma diagnostics, plasma and microwave materials processing, spectroscopy, communication, radar ranging and imaging, and for drivers of next generation high-field-gradient electron-positron linear colliders. The paper reports on high-power components for overmoded high-power transmission systems such as smooth-wall waveguides, HE/sub 11/ hybrid mode waveguides and quasi-optical TEM/sub 00/ beam waveguides. These include various types of mode converters, polarizers, cross-section tapers, bends, mode selective filters, pulse compressors, DC-breaks, directional couplers, beam combiners and dividers, vacuum windows, and instruments for mode analysis. Problems of ohmic attenuation and unwanted conversion to parasitic modes are discussed in detail and rules for alignment requirements are given. In the case of waveguide transmission, this review mainly concentrates on circular waveguide components but also deals with rectangular waveguide.

Passive high-power microwave components

FEL's based on the stimulated undulator radiation (ubitrons) are compared with those based on the stimulated cyclotron radiation [cyclotron autoresonance masers (CARM's)]. If the high-current accelerators are used as electron injectors, then from the viewpoint of simplicity of oscillatory electron energy pumping, criticality with respect to electron velocity dispersion, and efficiency, CARM's seem to be more effective than ubitrons at mm and sbmm waves. For such HF generators, resonators based on selective Bragg reflection of electromagnetic waves in corrugated metallic tubes are most atractive. CARM's of this type yield 6 MW at a 4 mm wavelength and 10 MW at a 2 mm wavelength in the single-mode regime.

FEL's with Bragg reflection resonators: Cyclotron autoresonance masers versus ubitrons

A new microwave system in the form of a cylindrical waveguide with a helical corrugation of the inner surface is proposed for a gyrotron traveling wave tube (gyro-TWT). The corrugation radically changes the wave dispersion in the region of small axial wave numbers. This allows significant reduction in the sensitivity of the amplifier to the electron velocity spread and an increase in its frequency bandwidth. An X-band gyro-TWT operating at the second cyclotron harmonic with a 200-keV, 25-A electron beam produced an output power of 1 MW, corresponding to a gain of 23 dB and an efficiency of 20%.

Gyrotron traveling wave amplifier with a helical interaction waveguide

First bandwidth measurements of a novel gyrotron amplifier are presented The coupling between the second harmonic cyclotron mode of a gyrating electron beam and the radiation field occurred in the region of near infinite phase velocity over a broad bandwidth by using a cylindrical waveguide with a helical corrugation on its internal surface With a beam energy of 185 keV, the amplifier achieved a maximum output power of 11 MW, saturated gain of 37 dB, linear gain of 47 dB, saturated bandwidth of 84 to 104 GHz ( $21%$ relative bandwidth), and an efficiency of $29%$, in good agreement with theory

High-gain wide-band gyrotron traveling wave amplifier with a helically corrugated waveguide

A helical corrugation of the inner surface of an oversized cylindrical waveguide provides, for certain parameters, an almost constant value of group velocity and close to zero longitudinal wavenumber of an eigenwave for a very broad frequency band. The use of such a helical waveguide as an operating section of a gyrotron traveling wave tube (gyro-TWT) allows significant widening of its bandwidth and an increase in the efficiency at very large particle velocity spreads. In this paper, the new concept is confirmed by theoretical analysis and "cold" measurements of the helical waveguide dispersion. Results of a linear and nonlinear theory of the helical gyro-TWT as well as two designs for subrelativistic (80 keV, 20 A) and relativistic (300 keV, 80 A) electron beams are also presented. For both designs, parameters providing a very broad frequency band (about 20%) and high efficiency (above 30%) have been found. When the transverse velocity spread is increased from zero up to a very high value of 40%, simulations showed only a 20%-30% narrowing in the frequency band and a 20% decrease in electron efficiency. The theoretical analysis demonstrates important advantages of the helical gyro-TWT over the "smooth" one in frequency bandwidth, sensitivity to electron velocity spread, and stability to parasitic self-excitation.

Gyro-TWT with a helical operating waveguide: new possibilities to enhance efficiency and frequency bandwidth

A 110 GHz 1 MW pulse gyrotron has been elaborated. A built-in electrodynamic duct consisting of a new type quasi-optical converter and three matching mirrors transforms operating mode TE15,4 into a gaussian beam going through the output window. The efficiency of the duct (ratio of the gaussian beam power outside the gyrotron to the total microwave power at the output of the cavity) is about 95%. A system consisting of the gyrotron and an outer mirror transmission line is proved to have efficiency (ratio of the microwave power measured by calorimeter at the end of line to the power of the electron beam) more than 40%.

Gregory G. Denisov

Papers

FEL's with Bragg reflection resonators: Cyclotron autoresonance masers versus ubitrons

Gyrotron traveling wave amplifier with a helical interaction waveguide

High-gain wide-band gyrotron traveling wave amplifier with a helically corrugated waveguide

Gyro-TWT with a helical operating waveguide: new possibilities to enhance efficiency and frequency bandwidth

110 GHz gyrotron with a built-in high-efficiency converter