Advances in microwave power modules

The microwave power module concept has advanced significantly in the ten years since its initial development going from proof of concept demonstrator to mission critical hardware. The recent progress in the development of compact, low voltage 50-100 W millimeter wave power booster TWTs in Ka and Q-band has firmly extended MPM performance into the millimeter wave frequency band. Modern computational tools, such as the CHRISTINE helix TWT design suite developed at the Naval Research Laboratory, are used to optimize the device electrical parameters to provide state of the art performance in power, efficiency and bandwidth. A high gain, low noise, solid-state amplifier (SSA) provides the drive signal for the MPM vacuum power booster TWT. Typical input drive at the MPM level is between -10 dBm to 0 dBm, although commercial MPMs without a SSA have been developed requiring around 30 dBm input.