The Magnetic Deflection Oscillator as a Potential Very High-Power RF (Radiofrequency) Source.

A proposed design for a Magnetic Deflection Oscillator to produce intense radiofrequency RF radiation is analyzed and theoretical results reported. The Magnetic Deflection Oscillator is an RF oscillator concept which can, in principle, be scaled to very high power levels. This report contains a theoretical study of the oscillator operation and a description of a low power experiment. The experiments did not achieve oscillator threshold due to limits on available beam current and power. The electron beam current required for oscillator threshold is predicted to increase with the square root of increasing frequency. The experiment shows that, at a frequency of 4 kHz, CW oscillator threshold should be reached at a beam current approximately 1 A. Cathode arcing limited the experiment to pulsed currents near 300 mA. The threshold power for oscillation at 300 MHz is predicted to be near 45,000 W. An oscillator might function at power levels many times above threshold with DC to RF conversion efficiencies comparable to class C vacuum tubes, possibly greater than 70 percent. Author