Experimental results for a 1.5 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron oscillator with reduced mode competition

Abstract

A new result from a 110 GHz gyrotron at MIT is reported with an output power of 1.67 MW and an efficiency of 42% when operated at 97 kV and 41 A for 3 mu s pulses in the TE22,6 mode. These results are a major improvement over results obtained with an earlier cavity design, which produced 1.43 MW of power at 37% efficiency. These new results were obtained using a cavity with a reduced output taper angle and a lower ohmic loss when compared with the earlier cavity. The improved operation is shown experimentally to be the result of reduced mode competition from the nearby TE19,7 mode. The reduced mode competition agrees well with an analysis of the startup scenario based on starting current simulations. The present results should prove useful in planning long pulse and CW versions of the 110 GHz gyrotron.