Optimization of microwave generation by coaxial vircator

Summary form only given. The coaxial virtual cathode oscillator (vircator) developed by Texas Tech University was studied in order to improve the efficiency of microwave generation. The microwave frequency and mode were diagnosed. The results were used to design a microwave reflector that enhances the microwave fields in the vircator area. The experimental results with the microwave reflector have shown that both the microwave output power and the direction of microwave field polarization strongly depend on the configuration of the microwave reflector. These results indicate that the microwave reflector could be used as a control of the beam-field interaction in the vircator. The objective of this experiment is to improve the vircator performance by means of this control.