Investigation of electron emitting barium-calcium aluminate fabrication process for impregnated microwave tube cathodes

In this paper it is reported the fabrication process of electron emitting barium-calcium aluminates used on impregnated cathodes which constitute high power vacuum microwave devices such as klystrons and TWTs (traveling wave tubes). The compound thermal behavior and the analysis of the formed phases during processing are evaluated, respectively, by means of thermal analysis and X-Ray diffraction. Results about the influence of firing temperature and atmosphere are also presented.