Mode Analysis of High-Power Microwave Generation in the Inward-Emitting Coaxial Vircator Based on Computer Simulation

A mode analysis is carried out with the MAFIA TS3 module to study the high-power microwave generation in the inward-emitting coaxial vircator with two opposed nonaxisymmetric emitting surfaces. The central angle thetas of the emittors, and the axial distance D between the cathode and anode reflector, are verified to have a large influence on the mode component. For a fixed diode voltage of 250 kV, the coaxial diode current is 13.7 kA when the beam injection is axisymmetric (thetas = 180deg). In this situation, the simulation gives the highest efficiency of 8.3% for D = 5.0 cm and 10.9% for D = 10.0 cm , comparing with the nonaxisymmetric beam injection. For the case of two opposed nonaxisymmetric emitting surfaces with central angle thetas, there exists a range for thetas to acquire a rather pure output of the TE₁₁ mode (80% of the total power), which is 80deg < thetas < 160deg. However, the efficiency decreases with smaller thetas. The polarized direction of the main TE₁₁ mode is consistent with the directional layout of the two opposed emitters. FFT transformation shows that the dominant frequency for thetas < 80deg can be estimated by the equations derived from the 2-D theoretical analysis of the symmetric coaxial vircator.