The breakdown problem in the relativistic backward wave oscillator (RBWO) limits the microwave pulse energy and should be solved. The slow wave structure (SWS) is the most key component of the RBWO. The breakdown of SWS may be triggered by field-induced electron emission and electron bombardment on the wall. This paper demonstrates that the space charge field of the relativistic electron beam (REB) can enhance the electric field forbidding field-induced electron emission and decrease the electric field igniting the RF breakdown, and therefore, the RF breakdown can be significantly suppressed. However, the enhanced electric field will enlarge the radial displacements of electrons, especially the high-energy electrons. When the RBWO operates with a low guiding magnetic field or a long-pulse REB, this situation will worsen and some electrons may possess large enough radial displacements and bombard on the SWS surface with the help of radial oscillation of REB and radial expansion of cathode plasmas. This may aggravate the breakdown of SWS.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
September 2020
Research Article|
September 08 2020
Research on effects of space charge field in relativistic backward wave oscillator
Ping Wu
;
Ping Wu
a)
Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology
, Xi'an 710024, China
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: wuping@nint.ac.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Jun Sun;
Jun Sun
Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology
, Xi'an 710024, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Yibing Cao;
Yibing Cao
Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology
, Xi'an 710024, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Zhiqiang Fan
;
Zhiqiang Fan
Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology
, Xi'an 710024, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Changhua Chen
Changhua Chen
Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology
, Xi'an 710024, China
Search for other works by this author on:
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: wuping@nint.ac.cn
Phys. Plasmas 27, 093104 (2020)
Article history
Received:
April 03 2020
Accepted:
August 10 2020
Citation
Ping Wu, Jun Sun, Yibing Cao, Zhiqiang Fan, Changhua Chen; Research on effects of space charge field in relativistic backward wave oscillator. Phys. Plasmas 1 September 2020; 27 (9): 093104. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0009835
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Citing articles via
ICF target optimization using generative AI
M. Ben Tayeb, V. Tikhonchuk, et al.
The long road to ignition: An eyewitness account
Mordecai D. Rosen
Progress toward fusion energy breakeven and gain as measured against the Lawson criterion
Samuel E. Wurzel, Scott C. Hsu
Related Content
An optimization method of relativistic backward wave oscillator using particle simulation and genetic algorithms
Phys. Plasmas (November 2013)
Plasma expansion and impedance collapse in a foil-less diode for a klystronlike relativistic backward wave oscillator
Phys. Plasmas (December 2010)
Effect of non-uniform slow wave structure in a relativistic backward wave oscillator with a resonant reflector
Phys. Plasmas (November 2013)
Tunability over three frequency bands induced by mode transition in relativistic backward wave oscillator with strong end reflections
Phys. Plasmas (October 2014)
A relativistic backward-wave oscillator with frequency-selectable across X- and Ku-bands
Phys. Plasmas (March 2017)