Microwave Generators

1
Power Generation
 Magnetron
◦ Electromagnetic cavities and electron beam

 Klystron
◦ Slow-wave circuits and electron beam

 Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)

◦ Electromagnetic cavities and electron beam
Magnetron
 Features
◦ KW in CW
◦ MW Peak pulsed op.

 Uses
◦ High-Power radar systems
◦ Microwave Heating
Magnetron Tubes
 Magnetrons are devices capable of creating high energy
electromagnetic microwave radiation.

 A. W. Hull first investigated their behavior in 1921.

 They are composed of a hollow tube with a filament in the middle. The
outer part of the tube acts as an anode while the filament is the cathode.

 When this filament is heated it releases electrons, which try to travel to

the positive anodes on the outer tube.

 However, an external magnetic field passing through the tube keeps the
electrons from reaching the anodes and forces them to move in circles
around the cavities in the tube. This creates radiation at the resonance
frequency of the tube. 
Magnetron Tubes
Klystron
 Oscillator or Amplifier
◦ Low Power
 Microwave Receivers
◦ High Power
Klystron Tubes
 The klystron was developed at Stanford in the
1930’s as a response for the need of a high
power, high frequency microwave generator
needed for radar and navigation of aircraft.

 It was invented by Russell and Sigurd Varian 

under the mentorship of Professor Bill Hansen.
Klystron Tubes
 Electrons are fired from a filament towards a high potential anode which creates a smooth
beam of electrons.

 As the electrons pass down the tube they pass through pairs of "grids," called buncher
cavities, that alternate between a positive and negative charge results in the the electrons in
the stream to bunch together based on the frequency that the bunchers alternate their charge.

 The frequency that the bunchers oscillate their charge is regulated by a feed back of "grids"
further down the tube that are connected to an LC circuit, called a catcher or output cavity
which is designed to have the same frequency as the microwave to be produced.

 The buncher is given an initial flux near the frequency desired causing the beam to begin to
resonate as the catcher reinforces the bunchers. This resonance causes a larger sustained
vibration of electrons at the frequency of the desired microwave.

 The diagram below shows the flow of electrons being bunched together by the first set of
"grids" and the second set of "grids" connected to a LC circuit that creates the feedback for
resonance and microwave production. 
Klystron Tubes
Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)
 Features
 Up to 10 W

 Uses
 Satellite communication
Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)
 A traveling-wave tube (TWT) is an electronic 
device used to amplify radio frequency signals to high
power, usually in an electronic assembly known as
a traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA).

 The bandwidth of a broadband TWT can be as high as

one octave, although tuned (narrowband) versions exist.

 Operating frequencies range from 300 MHz to 50 GHz.

 The voltage gain of the tube can be of the order of

70 decibels.
Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)
 The device is an extended vacuum tube with an electron gun (a heated cathode
that emits electrons) at one end.

 A magnetic containment field around the tube focuses the electrons into a beam, which then
passes down the middle of a wire helix that stretches from the RF input to the RF output, the
electron beam finally striking a collector at the other end. A directional coupler, which can be
either a waveguide or an electromagnetic coil, fed with the low-powered radio signal that is to
be amplified, is positioned near the emitter, and induces a current into the helix.

 The helix acts as a delay line, in which the RF signal travels at near the same speed along the
tube as the electron beam. The electromagnetic field due to the RF signal in the helix interacts
with the electron beam, causing bunching of the electrons (an effect called velocity
modulation), and the electromagnetic field due to the beam current then induces more current
back into the helix (i.e. the current builds up and thus is amplified as it passes down).

 A second directional coupler, positioned near the collector, receives an amplified version of
the input signal from the far end of the helix.

 An attenuator placed on the helix, usually between the input and output helices, prevents
reflected wave from traveling back to the cathode.
Traveling Wave Tube (TWT)

Cutaway view of a TWT. (1) Electron gun; (2) RF input;

(3) Magnets; (4) Attenuator; (5) Helix coil; (6) RF output;
(7) Vacuum tube; (8) Collector.
Application Areas
 Antennas
 Mobile Communication
 Remote Sensing
 Medical Applications
 MMIC Design and LAN
 EMC
Frequency Bands
Frequency (GHz) Old Designation New Designation
0.5 – 1 VHF C
1–2 L D
2–3 S E
3–4 S F
4–6 C G
6–8 C H
8 – 10 X I
10 - 12.4 X J
12.4 – 18 Ku J
18 – 20 K J
20 - 26.5 K K
26.5 - 40 Ka K
Antennas
 GPS Active Antennas
 Adaptive antennas
 Antennas Array
 Reflector Antennas
 Low Observable Antennas
 Conformal High Performance Arrays
Mobile Communication
 Scattering Propagation Models

 Electromagnetic simulation with CAD

software (Touchstone-Libra and HFSS)

 GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

 UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)
 LTE (Long Term Evolution)
 WiMAX
Remote Sensing
 Microwave Passives Sensors Design for
Atmospheric Parameters Measurement

 Satellite Remote Sensing of Precipitation Intensity

for Cloudy Systems of Various Characteristics

 Prospecting Radar (GPR) for the Characterization of

the Underground Properties
Medical Applications
 Microwave hyperthermia for cancer therapy
◦ A therapy using non-ionizing microwave radiation

 Diagnostic with bio-impedances (BIA)

◦ Analysis of resistance and reactance in the human
body
MMIC Design & LAN
 MMIC design in the 0.5-40 GHz frequency
range

 Wireless Communication and Local Area

Networks
Electromagnetic Compatibility #1
 Electronics in applications for vehicles

 Telecommunications

 Medical devices

 Avionics
Electromagnetic Compatibility #2
 Information processing

 Electro-explosive devices (EEDs)

 Satellite systems and subsystems

 Military ships (surface and subsurface)

 Radio transmitters and receivers