Simulations of Sub-THz Confocal-Cavity Gyrotrons with Different Configurations of Electron Beams

Based on 3D PIC (particle-in-cell) simulations, we conduct a comparative analysis of operation of sub-THz confocal-cavity gyrotrons with two configurations of a driven electron beam namely, a conventional cylindrical hollow electron beam and a sheet rotating electron beam injected midway between the cavity mirrors. It is demonstrated, that for parameters of the experimentally realized 140 GHz confocal gyrotron, the starting and operating current can be significantly decreased with using the sheet rotating electron beam, while the efficiency of generation increases at least in 1.5 times (up to 30-35%). The smooth frequency tuning of 5% by mechanical variation of the distance between mirrors are also demonstrated.