Computational Tools for Optimized Design of Advanced Traveling Wave Tubes

This investigation evaluated the feasibility of developing a fast and efficient computational tool for optimized design of advanced, slow-wave, traveling-wave-tube-amplifiers TWTAs. Because of their high power, broad-bandwidth, compact size, and high efficiency features, TWTAs are relied upon for satellite communications airborne, shipborne, and ground-based radar jamming and decoy applications. Because it is crucial to keep the time between conceptualization and finished product to an absolute minimum, the most effective design tools need to quickly assess new concept feasibility and generate initial design guidelines. The investigators successfully obtained 1D frequency dependant impedances and phase velocities from a 3D electromagnetic analysis of helix waveguides and incorporated them into a 1D, fully time-domain dispersive TWTA model. A proof-of-concept has been verified, including a demonstration of reasonable accuracy by comparing the new algorithms predictions with a linear regime, 1D, analytic model. Advances have also been made in the development of a 3D time-dependent TWT interaction model for benchmarking purposes.