Microwave tubes
MICHELLE NYAMUPANEMUNDA
NIGEL FANISA
COURTNEY MUCHENJE
NICOLE GONYORA
Travelling Wave Tube
NICOLE GONYORA
Objectives
• What is the TWT
• TWT structure
• Working principle
• Benefits
Terminology
• Linear beam – dc magnetic field is parallel to the dc electric
magnetic field.
• Slow wave circuit- the helix structure
• Gain control voltage – used to adjust gain of the amplifier
Components of TWT
• Cathode and anode
• Helix structure
• Beam focusing magnets
• Attentuator
• RF input and output
Introduction
• Microwave tube are a type of vacuum tube that
generate and amplify high frequency signals
from 300Mhz to 300Ghz.
• They can generate high power output from a few
hundred watts.
• Commonly used in military radar, electronic
warfare and civilian radar - weather
detection(weather forecasting) and highway
collision avoidance.
• There are two types of tubes
Linear beam tubes(TWT and Klystron)
Cross field tubes(Magnetrons)
Travelling Wave Tubes(TWT)
• It is a high power broadband amplifier makes use of non- resonant
slow wave structure.
• These are linear beam tubes that amplify microwaves by converting
kinetic energy of electrons into microwave energy
• TWTs are usually used in very high power RF/Microwave amplifiers
• Operating frequency (300MHz – 506 MHz ).
• It does not have any cavities.
Main Benefit
Offer wide operational bandwidth and ability to generate high power
levels.
Operates in both continuous and pulsed modes.
Working Principle
Electrons emitted from the cathode are
accelerated by a potential difference
between the cathode and anode.
An electron beam is formed and focused
by the anode towards the helix structure
where it will interact with the RF wave.
when the electron beam meets with the
negative half cycle of the RF signal it is
slowed down and when it meets with the
positive half cycle it is accelerated this
results in electron bunching.
High speed electrons travelling in the
tube transfer their energy to the RF signal
which allows adjustment of the signal’s
amplitude
The helix structure allows the signal to
travel a longer distance in the tube
resulting in greater amplification.
Amplified RF signal is taken from the
output end.
Detailed Diagram of TWT
Magnetron Oscillator
MICHELLE NYAMUPANEMUNDA
Objectives
Basics of Magnetron oscillator
Structure of Magnetron oscillator
Working principle of magnetron oscillator
Equivalent circuit of Magnetron oscillator
Application of Magnetron oscillator
Basics of Magnetron oscillator
A magnetron oscillator is a high power vacuum
tube that generates microwaves.
Very high efficiency of 40 to 70 percent
Output power of 800kW
It is a multi-cavity device.
Its frequency range is from 0,6GHz to 30GHz.
Works with fixed frequency constructively.
It is available with 8 to 20 cavity models.
It is a crossed field tube
Structure of magnetron oscillators
Internal structure
Working principle of magnetron oscillator
DC voltage is applied between the filaments of the cathode.
The anode then emits electrons by thermionic emission and these emitted
electrons are attracted towards the anode.
If we place an RF input at the cathode we will have oscillations being set up
in the interaction space.
When an emmited electron moves from the cathode to the anode they
transfer their energy in order to oscillate such electrons are called favoured
electrons.
When the dc voltage and magnetic flux are adjusted properly, the electrons
from the cathode try to travel toward the anode.
When the RF input is further increased then the electron emitted while
travelling increases its velocity in order to catch up the electron emitted
earlier with comparatively lower velocity. favoured electrons form electron
bunch or electron cloud and reaches anode from the cathode. The formation
of electron bunch inside the tube is known as phase focusing effect
.
Due to this, the orbit of the electron gets confined into spokes.
These spokes rotate according to some fractional value of
electron emitted by the cathode until it reaches anode while
delivering their energy to oscillations.
The motion of these favoured electrons inside the tube
improves the field present between the gaps in the cavity. This
leads to sustained oscillations inside the magnetron thereby
resulting in high power at the output
We can consider different cases:CASE 1
If the magnetic field is absent B=0, the electron travels
in a straight line towards the anode.
CASE 2
When a small magnetic field is present inside the
magnetron.
The electron deviates from its straight path.
The result from the E and H will cause the
electron to move in a curved path towards the
anode.
CASE 3
When the magnetic field is further increased then the
electron gets highly deflected by the magnetic field .
This effect causes the anode current to be zero.
The value of the magnetic field that causes the anode
current to become zero is called critical magnetic
field.
Case 4
When the magnetic field is further increased beyond the
critical level the electrons return to the cathode without
reaching the anode.
This process is called Back heating.
In order to avoid back heating the supply voltage that is
supplied to the cathode must be cut off after the critical
magnetic field.
Working principle of Magnetron oscillator
Electric fields in Magnetron
Magnetic field in Magnetron
Equivalent circuit of magnetron oscillator
Applications of magnetron oscillator
it is widely used in RADAR transmitters with
high output power from 10kW to 3MW.
Industrial heating applications.
Microwave oven
;frequency : 2.45GHz
;output power : 600-1200W
Lighting systems
Satellite communication
Radio transmitters
