High power operation of first and second harmonic gyrotwystrons

We report the first experimental operation of overmoded first and second harmonic gyrotwystron amplifier configurations. Both devices utilize a single cavity which is driven near 9.87 GHz in the TE011 mode, heavily attenuated drift tubes, and long tapered output waveguide sections. A magnetron injection gun produces a 460 kV, 245 A beam with a maximum average perpendicular-to-parallel velocity ratio approximately equal to one. The axial magnetic field profile is sharply tapered in the output section. Peak powers above 21 MW are achieved in 1 μs pulses with an efficiency exceeding 22% and a large signal gain near 24 dB in the first harmonic tube. The second harmonic tube achieves nearly 12 MW of the peak power with an efficiency of 11% and a gain above 21 dB. First harmonic amplifier performance is limited principally by competition from a fundamental mode output waveguide interaction; the second harmonic tube is limited by both travelling wave output modes and by a down-taper oscillation.