MICROWAVE TUBES

Linear-beam or O type tubes

Electron beam traverses the length of the tube and is parallel to

the electric field

Ex. Traveling wave tube (TWT), Extended interaction

oscillator(EIO)
Crossed-field or m type tubes

The focusing field is perpendicular to the accelerating electric

field.

Ex. Klystron, Magnetron, Cross-field amplifier, Gyratron

Klystron

Linear beam tube that can be used as either an amplifier or an

oscillator
invented in 1937 by American electrical engineersRussel and
Sigurd Varian
First cavity accepts an RF input
and modulates the electron beam
by bunching it into high and low
density regions. The bunched beam
then travels to next cavity which
accentuates the bunching effect

Klystron amplifier
Reflex klystron

a single-cavity klystron tube

Operates as an oscillator by using a reflector electrode after the cavity to

provide feedback via the electron beam

Reflex klystron
Extended Interaction Oscillator
(EIO)

a linear-beam oscillator tube similar to a klystron

and uses an interaction region consisting of several cavities coupled together,

with positive feedback to support oscillation.

has a narrow tuning bandwidth and a moderate efficiency, but it can supply

high powers at frequencies up to several hundred GHz.

Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)

a linear-beam amplifier that uses an electron gun and a focusing magnet to

accelerate a beam of electrons through an interaction region

has the highest bandwidth of any amplifier tube,
efficiency is relatively small, typically ranging from 20% to 40%.
Backward Wave Oscillator (BWO)

RF wave travels along the helix from the collector toward the electron gun.

the signal for amplification is provided by the bunched electron beam itself, and

oscillation occurs.

The power output of the BWO, is relatively low (typically less than 1 W)
Magnetron

first high-power microwave source

capable of very high power outputs, on the order of several kilowatts with

efficiencies of 80% or more.

disadvantage, however, is that they are very noisy and cannot maintain

frequency or phase coherence when operated in a pulsed mode.

Cross-Field Amplifier (CFA)

has a geometry similar to that of a TWT, but employs a crossed-field interaction region

that is similar to that of the magnetron.

Crossed-field amplifiers have very good efficienciesup to 80%, but the gain is limited

to 1015 dB.

CFA has a noisier output than either a klystron amplifier or TWT.

Its bandwidth can be up to 40%.

Gyratron
crossed-field tube which can be used as an amplifier or an oscillator.

offers the highest output power (10100 kW) of any tube in this frequency

range.

has a high efficiency for tubes in the millimeter wave range.