Investigations of microwave pulse shortening in a high power coaxial gyrotron

• Published in: 25th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves (Cat. No.00EX442) pp. 115 - 116
• Main Authors: Gilgenbach, R.M., Cohen, W.E., Peters, C.W., Lopez, M.R., Jaynes, R.L., Anderson, S.A., Lau, Y.Y., Brake, M.L., Williams, W.J., Spencer, T.A.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 2000
• Subjects: Coaxial components; Electron accelerators; Electron beams; Gyrotrons; Particle beams; Plasma accelerators; Plasma diagnostics; Plasma materials processing; Radio frequency; Spectroscopy
• ISBN: 0780365135; 9780780365131
• DOI: 10.1109/ICIMW.2000.892959

Experiments have been performed on a coaxial gyrotron driven by the Michigan Electron Long Beam Accelerator (MELBA) at parameters: V=-0.8 MV, I=1-10 kA, and pulselength=0.5-1 microsecond. Microwave pulse shortening has been investigated by spectroscopic plasma diagnostics to characterize plasma effects inside the operating gyrotron. Radio-frequency plasma processing has been applied to clean the inside of the gyrotron in order to reduce the deleterious effects of plasma on the microwave pulselength and energy. Results show that plasma cleaning can extend the microwave pulselength and increase the integrated microwave energy output by 15-245% in this gyrotron.