Enhanced frequency agility of high-power relativistic backward wave oscillators

This paper describes how finite length effects in high-power backward wave oscillators can be exploited in a controlled manner to achieve enhanced frequency agility. Experiments were performed using a Sinus-6 high-power relativistic repetitively pulsed electron beam accelerator. A uniform slow wave structure was used in these studies and its parameters were fixed. Sections of smooth-walled circular waveguide of varying lengths were inserted both before and after the slow wave structure. Variations in the length of smooth-walled waveguide on the order of a quarter-wavelength of the generated electromagnetic radiation were found to significantly affect both microwave frequency and radiation efficiency in a periodic-like manner. The experimental results were reproduced in TWOQUICK electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations. A bandwidth of about 500 MHz centered around 9.5 GHz at hundreds of MW power levels has been achieved with constant beam and slow wave structure parameters.