Automatic test system for power characteristics of broadband TWTs

Abstract

In this article, an automatic test system will be presented, which is based on LabVIEW and compatible with the general hardware platform. It aims at improving the test accuracy and efficiency of power characteristics of high‐power broadband traveling wave tubes. The key point is to demonstrate how to creatively solve the contradiction between accuracy and time in the test of saturation characteristic via self‐adaptive change of power step and how to implement the high‐precision test of fixed power characteristics via dichotomy. In order to further improve the test accuracy and practicability, input power verification is designed in the software to eliminate the adverse effects of the preamplifier, and compensation data management mechanism is used to help users obtain more accurate power characteristics of the tested broadband traveling wave tube. In addition, multi‐level software protection for helix current is designed, apart from hardware protection of power supply, with the purpose to level up system security. Finally, the reliability and practicability of the automatic test system are verified by data comparison and data analysis, and the automatic system can vastly improve the measurement efficiency of power characteristics in the productive process of broadband traveling wave tubes.