TRAVELLING WAVE TUBE

OBJECTIVE : HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

DEVELOPED IN 1944
HIGH GAIN & BANDWIDTH, LOW NOISE BUT LOWER POWER COMPARED TO KLYSTRON
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION IS THE SAME IN RELATION TO THE BEAM
THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS IN THE WAY THE BEAM INTERACTS WITH THE RF FIELD
RF SIGNAL IS MADE TO PASS THROUGH A STRUCTURE THAT IS WOUND IN THE FORM OF A
HELIX AROUND THE TUBE & THE INTERACTS CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE RF FIELD
BUNCHING TAKES PLACE BUT IS PROGRESSIVE ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TUBE
AS BUNCHING INCREASES, ENERGY IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE BEAM TO THE HELIX
ENERGY TRANSFER IS IN PHASE SINCE THE RF IN THE HELIX & THE BEAM ARE
CONTINUOUSLY INTERACTING
EFFICIENCY UPTO 40% ACHIEVABLE, POWER o/p OF 10 kW (CW)& GAIN OF ABOUT 60 dB

TWT - CONSTRUCTION
OBJECTIVE : SCHEMATIC OF PARTS & WORKING
MAY BE USED FOR FOR
i/p & o/p COUPLING OR
NOT

BUNCHES

SOME ATTENUATION ENROUTE

LARGE VOLTAGE AMPLIFICATION

ATTENUATING COVER
PROVIDED TO
PREVENT
REFLECTEDWAVES

TRAVELLING WAVE TUBE

OBJECTIVE : HELICAL & CAVITY BASED TUBES
HELICAL TWT YIELDS BW OF EVEN 2 OCTAVES. CAVITY TWTs MAY GIVE 10 TO 20% BW
HELIX HAS LOWER POWER HANDLING CAPACITY (TYPICALLY FEW kWs) BECAUSE OF
THICKNESS LIMITATION
TOO THICK WIRE WILL PREVENT MAINTENANCE OF SMALL PITCH
TOO THIN WIRE WILL HEAT UP & CAUSE WARPING OF SLOW-WAVE STRUCTURE
COUPLED CAVITY TWTs USE A SERIES OF CAVITIES FOR INDUCING RF IN THE HELICAL SLOW
WAVE STRUCTURE CAN DELIVER UPTO 60 kW .
BUT BW BECOMES LIMITED DUE TO NON-LINEAR DISPERSION.
IN COUPLED CAVITY TWTs, A SERIES OF CAVITIES ARE USED NEXT TO EACH OTHER. OUR
DISCUSSION IS LIMITED TO HELIX TWTs

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : WHAT ARE SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES
THE RF ENERGY TRAVELS ALONG THE SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE @ SPEED OF LIGHT (APPROX)
AXIAL COMPONENT OF ELECTRIC FIELD IS CREATED BY THE FIELD IN THE HELIX WHICH
MOVES ALONG THE AXIS OF THE TUBE
SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE ENSURES PHASE VELOCITY OF AXIAL FIELD APPROXIMATELY
EQUALS VELOCITY
THIS WAY THE BEAM INTERACTS CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE RF FIELD
ALONG WITH RISE & EBB OF RF VOLTAGE, GET ACCELERATED & RETARDED CAUSING
BUNCHING CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE RF FIELD
BUNCHING IS PROGRESSIVE & SETS MORE & MORE PROMINENT
INDUCES GREATER VOLTAGE AMPLITUDES IN THE HELIX

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : PHASE VELOCITY OF ELECTRON BEAM (TEXTBOOK vers)
PHASE VELOCITY IS RELATED TO SPEED OF LIGHT BY THE RELATION

+
p IS THE HELIX PITCH
d
d IS DIAMETER OF THE HELIX

IS THE PITCH ANGLE

IF THE HELIX IS WITHIN A DIELECTRIC FILLED CYLINDER,
PHASE VELOCITY IN THE AXIAL DIRECTION IS GIVEN BY

=
+

DIELECTRIC CONSTANT SHOULD BE KEPT LOW TO MINIMISE LOSSES

FOR LOW PITCH ANGLES, THE EXPRESSION CAN BE APPROXIMATED AS

=
=
=
=
=
=

THE PHASE VELOCITY WHICH IS THE AXIAL COMPONENT OF THE VELOCITY OF THE RF
WAVE IS ADJUSTED SUCH THAT IT APPROXIMATELY EQUALS THE SPEED OF THE

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : PHASE VELOCITY OF ELECTRON BEAM
THE GROUP VELOCITY =

IS VELOCITY AT WHICH ENERGY STORED IN MAGNETIC & ELECTRIC FIELDS TRAVELS IN A CKT
ALTERNATIVELY, IT IS THE VELOCITY AT WHICH A GROUP OF FREQUENCIES FORMING A
PULSE TRAVELS ACROSS A CIRCUIT

DIFFERENTIATING,

=

,
=
=

CONSEQUENCE
VELOCITY IS MAINTAINED THE SAME AS
FOR GAIN, HAVE TO INTERACT CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE RF @

IF RF BW IS TO BE FAITHFULLY AMPLIFIED (WITH FIDELITY),

=

IMPLYING THAT = & THAT ALL FREQ COMPONENTS INTERACT WITH BEAM
EQUALLY
ELSE THERE WILL BE DISPERSION

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : FOUR WAVES (PROPAGATION MODES) INSIDE THE TWT
THE PROPAGATION CONSTANT CONSISTS OF A FOURTH ORDER EQUATION AND THE FOUR
ROOTS DESCRIBE FOUR WAVES IN THE TWT
FORWARD WAVE THAT INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY IN AMPLITUDE AND GIVES ENERGY
TO THE HELIX ( SLIGHTLY LESS THAN ) ENERGY TRANSFERRED TO HELIX FROM
BEAM
FORWARD WAVE THAT IS DECAYING EXPONENTIALLY DRAWING ENERGY FROM THE
WAVE TO THE BEAM ( = ) ENERGY FROM WAVE TO BEAM
CONSTANT AMPLITUDE WAVE THAT DOES NOT INTERACT WITH THE BEAM ( > )
REVERSE WAVE THAT CAN CREATE OSCILLATIONS AND REDUCTION OF AMPLIFICATION

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : HOW DOES THE HELIX BECOME A SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE
HAVING SHOWN THAT A SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
BEAM TO INTERACT WITH THE RF, WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING
A SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE MUST BE PERIODIC IN AXIALLY WITH PITCH PERIOD
THIS MEANS THAT BOUNDARY CONDITIONS ARE REPEATED IN z DIRECTION (AXIALLY)
PHASE VELOCITIES =
THAN

OF SOME HARMONICS HAVE TO BE SHOWN LESSER

IF THE ABOVE TWO CONDITIONS ARE SHOWN, WE CAN CONCLUDE THAT THE SLOW WAVE
STRUCTURE PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEAM TO INTERACT WITH THE RF
AND BUNCHING WILL TAKE PLACE @ THE DESIRED FREQUENCY
FIRST, WE TAKE UP FLOQUETs THEOREM THAT IS MATHMETICALLY STATED AS
, , = , ,
SINCE FLOW IS IN THE z DIRECTION, WE EXAMINE THE PERIODICITY IN THE SAME
DIRECTION

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : FLOQUETs THEOREM AND ITS CONSEQUENCE
SOLUTION TO MAXWELLs EQUATION IN A PERIODIC STRUCTURE IS
, , = , ,
WHERE , , IS A PERIODIC FUNCTION IN z WITH A PERIOD OF L
EQUATION CAN BE RE-WRITTEN AS
, , = , ,

BUT , , = , ,
HENCE,
, , = , ,
EQUALS , ,
QED
THE HELIX IS A SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE AND IS IS PERIODIC IN THE AXIAL z DIRECTION

ELECTRIC FIELD INDUCED BY RF ENERGY IN THE HELIX WILL CAUSE PERIODICITY IN BEAM

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : BUNCHING AND FREQUENCY RESPONSE TO BE EXAMINED NEXT
FOURIER SERIES APPLIED IN SPATIAL DOMAIN YIELDS,

, , =
=

=
=

AMPLITUDES OF nth
, ,
SPATIAL HARMONICS

PHASE CONSTANT
= +
OF nth HARMONIC

THIS EQUATION MUST SATISFY THE WAVE EQUATION TO BE TRUE OR

,
=

, =

, , =

FOR EACH n EQUATION 2 IS TRUE; HENCE EQUATION 1 IS ALSO TRUE (SINCE EACH SPATIAL
HARMONIC ITSELF IS A SOLUTION, THE SUMMATION OF HARMONICS IS ALSO A SOLUTION)

SLOW WAVE STRUCTURES

OBJECTIVE : CONSEQUENCES OF ALL THE MATHS
FLOQUETs THEOREM PROVED THAT THE SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE IS PERIODIC IN
EXPRESSION FOR THE FIELD SATISFIES THE WAVE EQUATION


COMPLETE SOLUTION TO

=
= ,
= ,
CAN SATISFY THE BOUNDARY CONDITIONS OF A PERIODIC STRUCTURE

IT CAN ALSO BE SEEN FROM , , =
THAT THE SERIES OF
= ,
WAVES HAVE THE SAME FREQUENCY BUT DIFFERENT PHASE VELOCITIES

= +
=
=

PHASE VELOCITY IS LOWER FOR HIGHER AND

HENCE IT DOES APPEAR THAT A RF SIGNAL WITH APPROPRIATE CAN TRAVEL SLOWER
THAN
THEN INTERACTION BETWEEN THE BEAM & RF CAN BE TRANSLATED TO BUNCHING AND
AMPLIFICATION CAN BE ACHIEVED

AMPLIFICATION IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : MECHANICS OF AMPLIFICATION
SLOW WAVE STRUCTURE IS PERIODIC IN & PHASE CONSTANT IS
PHASE SHIFT PER PERIOD OF THE FUNDAMENTAL WAVE IS =
dc TRANSIT TIME IS BIVEN BY

PHASE CONSTANT OF THE nth HARMONIC IS

& MULTIPLY = = + = +

& DIVIDE BY

THE AXIAL VOLTAGE IS ADJUSTED SUCH THAT

THIS ENSURES THAT MORE ARE FOUND IN A RETARDING FIELD GIVING UP ENERGY
WHEN THE SIGNAL IS COUPLED TO THE HELIX, THE FEELS A FORCE =
ENTERING DURING +ve & -ve RF CYCLE TRAVEL FASTER & SLOWER AROUND THAT
ENTER DURING 0- RF VOLTAGE. BUNCHING TAKES PLACE @ +ve GOING ve RF VOLTAGE

BUNCHING

AMPLIFICATION IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION SO FAR
SLOW WAVE STRUCTURESARE PERIODIC IN PITCH AND SUPPORT < PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITY FOR WAVE TO TRAVEL ALONG WITH BEAM
< ~ CAUSING MORE IN RETARDING FIELD RESULTING IN GREATER ENERGY IS
TRANSFER TO THE HELIX AND THE RF VOLTAGE IN THE HELIX INCREASES
THE MAGNETS PLACES AROUND THE TUBE PROVIDE FOCUSSING OF THE BEAM
AN ATTENUATOR PLACED @ CENTER OF TUBE ATTENUATES REFLECTED WAVES (CAUSED BY
LOAD IMPEDANCE MISMATCH WHICH IS MORE PRONOUNCED IN CASE OF HIGH
BANDWIDTH SIGNALS

AMPLIFICATION IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : TO SHOW VELOCITY FLUCTUATION IS PROPORTIONAL TO AXIAL FIELD
AXIAL PHASE CONSTANT =

EQUATION OF MOTION OF ELECTRON IS GIVEN BY

VELOCITY OF IS

= + +
WHERE
IS MAGNITUDE OF dc ELECTRON VELOCITY
IS MAGNITUDE OF VELOCITY FLUCTUATION
IS ANGULAR FREQUENCY OF VELOCITY FLUCTUATION
IS PHASE ANGLE OF VELOCITY FLUCTUATION

= +

SUBSTITUTING EQN 2 IN EQN 1

+ =
=
THEREFORE
+ =

AMPLIFICATION IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : TO SHOW VELOCITY FLUCTUATION IS PROPORTIONAL TO AXIAL FIELD
=
COMPARING RHS & LHS OF
+ =

=
=

MAGNITUDE OF VELOCITY IS
PROPORTIONAL TO AXIAL FIELD

CURRENT IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : TO CALCULATE CURRENT IN THE TWT
CURRENT IN THE TWT IS DUE TO FLOW OF AND IS CONVECTION CURRENT
SINCE ELECTRIC FIELD IS PERIODIC IN z, PARAMETERS OF BEAM WILL BE PERIODIC. LET
= +
= +
= +
=
IS PROPOGATION CONSTANT & SINCE CURRENT IS OPPOSITE TO FLOW
UNDER QUIESCENT CONDITIONS, =
WHEN RF IS APPLIED, QUIESCENT CHARGE DENSITY WILL BE AFFECTED & MOVE WITH
NEWLY CHARGED BUNCHES CONSTITUTING A NEW CHARGE DENSITY WILL MOVE WITH
QUIESCENT VELOCITY (GIVING ) & ALSO WITH INCREASED VELOCITY DUE TO
APPLICATION OF RF YIELDING

CURRENT IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : SOME UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT DENSITY
IS NEGLECTED SINCE BOTH THE CHARGE AND THE VELOCITY DUE TO RF WILL BE
SMALL IN COMPARISON TO THE REST OF THE TERMS
=

HENCE, = + , AND =

BY FORCE EQUATION

=
+

EQUATING 1 & 2

AND

1
+

2
=

CURRENT IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : CALCULATE CURRENT AND LOTS OF ALGEBRA
BY LAW OF CONSERVATION OF CHARGE,

. +
= . +

+
=

HAVING OBTAINED , SUBSTITUTION IN = + YIELDS

=
+

CURRENT IN TWT
OBJECTIVE : CALCULATE CURRENT (NOTHING MUCH TO UNDERSTANDONLY ALGEBRA)
WE HAVE

CONVECTION CURRENT DENSITY

CONVECTION CURRENT REFERRED

TO AS ELECTRONIC EQUATION

NOTE : PROPORTIONALITY CONSTANT BETWEEN & IS THE SAME AS &

AXIAL ELECTRIC FIELD IN TWT

OBJECTIVE : A LOOK AT THE ELECTRIC FIELD
THE HELIX CAN BE REPRESENTED BY A DISTRIBUTED LOSSLESS TRANSMISSION LINE
CONVECTION CURRENT FLOWING INTO ANY SEGMENT FROM THE LEFT IS & CURRENT
FLOWING THROUGH THE RIGNT END OF IS +

APPLICATION OF TRANSMISSION LINE THEORY AND KIRCHOFFs LAW YIELDS =

AND

AND =

=
WHEN = , = AND =
=

AXIAL ELECTRIC FIELD IN TWT

OBJECTIVE : A LOOK AT THE ELECTRIC FIELD

= =

SOLVING THE ELECTRONIC EQUATION AND CIRCUIT EQUATION SIMULTANEOUSLY WILL YIELD
A FOURTH ORDER EQUATION IN
WHICH LEADS TO THE FOUR PROPAGATION CONSTANTS IN THE TWT
VOLTAGE GAIN IN THE TWT IS GIVEN BY = . + .

SALIENT ASPECTS OF THE TWT

OBJECTIVE : PRACTICAL ASPECTS
CERAMIC TWTs IN VOGUE ARE CHEAPER AND EFFICIENT.
TWTs LIGHTER & MORE EFFICIENT THAN MANY SOLID STATE AMPLIFIERS
AS BEAM GIVES UP ENERGY, BEAM VELOCITY REDUCES. THIS NECESSITATES SLIMMER
PITCH TOWARDS ENDS OF THE TUBE
GAIN VARIES WITH ELECTRICAL LENGTH OF TUBE WHICH VARIES WITH FREQUENCY. 25 dB
GAIN ACROSS TWO OCTAVE BW IS NOT UNEXPECTED. EXTERNAL GAIN EQUALISERS ARE
REQUIRED
DUE TO A LARGE GAIN SATURATION OF TWT IS NOT UNEXPECTED. OPERATING POINT IS
CHOSEN WITH A BACK-OFF
LARGE MTBF AND GOOD RELIABILITY. OTHER THAN WORKMANSHIP ISSUES RESULTING IN
INFANT MORTALITY, TWTs ARE ROBUST & CAN BE EXPECTED TO WORK FOR YEARS
INDUCES GREATER VOLTAGE AMPLITUDES IN THE HELIX