Fabrication-facilities development and hot test of helix traveling wave tube

Manufacturing technologies for heavily-loaded helix TWT has been developed in Korea. There are many devices equipped for the manufacturing TWT in a new facility. We have designed and made laser welding M/C, RF Brazer, vacuum exhaust system, pyrolitic deposition M/C, triangulation & compression M/C for manufacturing helix TWT for special purpose. Besides, we have developed key technologies for helix TWT, such as fixture design for assembly and test, furnace brazing for part assembly, RF brazing triangulation & compression for helix circuit assembly, magnetization & tuning for PPM, metalizing & nickelizing for ceramic metallization, carbon coating on the ceramic rod, laser welding for assembly with coupler and helix circuit, vacuum exhaust for baking TWT envelope, vacuum sealing inspection, and thermal analysis on the couplers. With these technologies and devices, we have assembled electron gun, RF input/output connector, helix circuit, collector, and ppm magnets. The final-assembled TWT has been tested, which shows 36 dB and 9 GHz.