Design of traveling wave tubes based on field theory

A method is described for the design of helix traveling wave tubes (TWT) which is based on the linear field analysis of the coupled beam-wave system. The dispersion relations are obtained by matching of radial admittances at boundaries instead of the individual field components. This approach provides flexibility in modeling various beam and circuit configurations with relative ease by choosing the appropriate admittance functions for each case. The method is illustrated for the case of a solid beam inside a sheath helix which is loaded externally by lossy dielectric material, a conducting cylinder, and axial vanes. Extension of the analysis to include a thin tape helix model is anticipated in the near future. The TWT model may be divided into axial regions to include velocity tapers, lossy materials and severs, with the helix geometry in each region varied arbitrarily. The relations between the AC velocities, current densities, and axial electric fields are used to derive a general expression for the new amplitudes of the three forward waves at each axial boundary. The sum of the fields for the three forward waves (two waves in a drift region) is followed to the circuit output. Numerical results of the field analysis are compared with the coupled-mode Pierce theory. A method is suggested for applying the field analysis to accurate design of practical TWT's that have a more complex circuit geometry, which starts with a simple measurement of the dispersion of the helix circuit. The field analysis may then be used to generate a circuit having properties very nearly equivalent to those of the actual circuit.>