Experiments on a series of s-band crestatrons

In recent years, power klystrons, traveling-wave amplifiers (TWA), and various forms of crossed-field amplifiers and oscillators have been produced in relatively large numbers with essentially reproducible characteristics. Gradually these devices have found their way into more and more sophisticated systems applications with the logical result that they are competing with one another with regard to the most desirable set of characteristics. This competition deals with weight, efficiency, bandwidth, average power capability, and modulation characteristics, to name just a few items. In general it is not feasible to optimize or maximize all of these parameters in one tube and hence there seems to be room for all the above-mentioned device types, depending upon the particular application and which of the characteristics is most critical. The day of the high-gain high-power high-efficiency broad-bandwidth short-length lightweight low-noise amplifier to be powered by a solar cell is not yet here. The Crestatron amplifier to be described in this paper affords a means of optimizing several of these characteristics in one device.