Development of a Phase-Controlled Magnetron Using Gate Field Emission
Faculty Mentor Information
Jim Browning
Presentation Date
7-2017
Abstract
Microwave-generating magnetrons impact our life through a variety of ways: they are used in microwave ovens, lighting systems, radar systems and even electronic warfare or solar energy transfer systems. However, magnetrons are relatively low-power devices. The ability to synchronize multiple magnetrons to achieve higher total power output would increase the usefulness of magnetrons. It is impossible for most current magnetrons to achieve this ability because they use thermionic emissions, which is the emission of electrons by heating up a central cathode filament. That method is chaotic and unstable. Our solution is using gated field emission to inject electrons directly into the magnetron's interaction space. This research explores the hypothesis that a phase-controllable magnetron system, which could be used in a magnetron array, can be created using gated field emission devices modulated at the correct frequency. In the past few months, I was involved in setting up the experiment. Such as testing current monitors, and writing a program for driver circuits through LabView. Our research on developing a phase-controlled magnetron would permit the construction of magnetron arrays to generate high-powered microwaves. This will give rise to advancements in the fields of weather detection, clean energy, and warfare.
Development of a Phase-Controlled Magnetron Using Gate Field Emission
Microwave-generating magnetrons impact our life through a variety of ways: they are used in microwave ovens, lighting systems, radar systems and even electronic warfare or solar energy transfer systems. However, magnetrons are relatively low-power devices. The ability to synchronize multiple magnetrons to achieve higher total power output would increase the usefulness of magnetrons. It is impossible for most current magnetrons to achieve this ability because they use thermionic emissions, which is the emission of electrons by heating up a central cathode filament. That method is chaotic and unstable. Our solution is using gated field emission to inject electrons directly into the magnetron's interaction space. This research explores the hypothesis that a phase-controllable magnetron system, which could be used in a magnetron array, can be created using gated field emission devices modulated at the correct frequency. In the past few months, I was involved in setting up the experiment. Such as testing current monitors, and writing a program for driver circuits through LabView. Our research on developing a phase-controlled magnetron would permit the construction of magnetron arrays to generate high-powered microwaves. This will give rise to advancements in the fields of weather detection, clean energy, and warfare.