Vircator Technologies Comparison and Novel Anode Analysis

Abstract

High Power Microwave (HPM) sources are widely used as signal sources in radar, jammer, and Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (CIED). Such devices usually are heavy and bulky, characteristics that are in conflict with the small weight and power (SWaP) approach so that it is practically impossible to mount such HPMs on several platforms with reduced spaces (e.g., avionic, UAVs). During the last century, several devices have been proposed, all of them heavy due to the components that they need such as the magnetic material of the Magnetron, Klystron, or Gyrotron. Considering the HPM sources for pulsed applications, the VIRtual CAThode oscillatOR (Vircator) represents the best candidate due to the compact dimension and reduced weight due to the absence of a magnetic source. The signal generated by this HPM device is characterized by a pulsed output power of some GW for a narrow frequency below 10 GHz. In this work, the analysis of the three most used types of Vircator, Axial Vircator, Coaxial Vircator, and Reflex Triode, is reported. A novel anode design and characterization procedure is reported, which led to the analysis of the interaction between electrons and a realistic anode grid.