Frequency and phase modulation performance of an injection-locked CW magnetron

It is demonstrated that the output of a 2.45-GHz magnetron operated as a current-controlled oscillator through its pushing characteristic can lock to injection signals in times of the order of 100-500 ns depending on injection power, magnetron heater power, load impedance, and frequency offset of the injection frequency from the natural frequency of the magnetron. Accordingly, the magnetron can follow frequency and phase modulations of the injection signal, behaving as a narrow-band amplifier. The transmission of phase-shift-keyed data at 2 Mb/s has been achieved. Measurements of the frequency response and anode current after a switch of phase as a function of average anode current and heater power give new insight into the locking mechanisms and the noise characteristics of magnetrons