E-band Traveling Wave Tube for High Data Rate Wireless Links

Abstract

E-band (71 -76 GHz and 81 -86 GHz) is already used for point to point links with a few Gigabit/second data rate. Front-ends are powered by solid state amplifiers with about 2 -3 W output power. This output power values limit range and spectral efficiency and have to be compensated by high gain antennas. The availability of tens of Watt would allow higher spectral efficiency and long range, and the use of lower gain antennas for multibeam and area coverage. This paper reports the design and the initial fabrication of the first ever E-band Traveling Wave Tube (TWT) based on the double corrugated waveguide. A test short interaction structure TWT is in assembly phase as proof of concept with about 2 W output power. The final TWT is designed to provide about 70 W power and about 40 dB gain.

Wide Band Interaction Impedance and Mode Excitation in Glide Symmetric Double Corrugated Waveguides for mm-wave TWTs

“…In the millimeter wave and THz bands, the most popular SWS is the serpentine waveguide which can provide wide bandwidth and moderate output power, but as before, at very high frequencies the complexity of the structure makes it a difficult task to perform [7]. In recent years, straight rectangular SWSs have been introduced which are relatively easy to fabricate since the beam tunnel may be easier to integrate with the structure, as it can be seen in half-period staggered double vane structures using sheet-beam current proposed for a 220 GHz TWT amplifier [14], [15], and double corrugated rectangular SWSs to support circular electron beams in the microwave regime and also feasible for the THz band [12], [16][17][18][19].…”