Historical Developments and Recent Advances in High-power Magnetron: A Review

Abstract

The cavity resonator is an efficient and compact high-power microwave (HPM) source. These HPM sources have applications in radar, medical science, communications, agriculture, industrial heating, non-destructive testing (NDT), and food processing systems. Various magnetrons with discrete designs emerged depending on the structure type, desired output power, and desired frequency. Continuous-wave (CW) magnetrons are being used for industrial purposes, and pulse magnetrons are used for linear accelerator (linac) devices. High power pulse magnetron is an efficient microwave source used in medical science to treat cancer. It is also used in space and defence applications for NDT. A drastic change in the development of magnetron and various advances came across to enhance efficiency, improve performance, and increase the operating power. The main objective of this study is to present an overview of the development of high-power magnetron and its subparts from 1869 to today. In the last three decades, substantial growth in the technological advancements of pulse magnetron has taken place. This study focuses on significant advances in strapping, coupling, frequency tuning, phase locking, frequency narrowing bandwidth, magnetic priming effects, cascading magnetrons, terahertz magnetrons, and software development.

KEYWORDS:

• Continuous wave magnetron
• High power microwave source
• Linear accelerator
• Pulse magnetron

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Patibandla Anilkumar

Patibandla Anilkumar received his MTech degree in high voltage engineering from University College of Engineering, JNTUK, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India, in 2018. He is currently pursuing PhD degree with the Center for Nanotechnology, IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India. His research interests include the development of high-power microwave devices, pulse magnetrons, electromagnetics, microwave engineering. Email: [email protected].

Dobbidi Pamu

Dobbidi Pamu received PhD in physics, from School of Physics from University of Hyderabad, India. He is currently working as an professor in Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati. His research interests are to develop high-k and low-loss ceramics for microwave applications. Also, he works on the bulk and thin films of ferroelectric, piezoelectric, bio, and magnetic ceramics for sensor, energy harvesting, electronic, biosensors, and for high power microwave devices. Email: [email protected]

Tapeshwar Tiwari

Tapeshwar Tiwari received the PhD degree in microwave tubes from the Center of Research in Microwave Tube (CRMT), Department of Electronics Engineering, IIT BHU, Varanasi, India. He was a Scientist with the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER), Mumbai, India. He was associated with the Research and Development Program, CRMT. As a project manager/principal investigator/Co-PI, he has completed many prestigious projects of national interest sponsored by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Indian Space Research Organisation, the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, and the Department of Science and Technology. As a project manager, he was responsible for the successful completion of the first indigenously developed magnetron and klystron-based high-energy linear accelerator systems. As a management representative, he was responsible for obtaining ISO 9001:2008 certification of the Medical Electronics Division, SAMEER. He is currently a program director of the newly established SAMEER Centre for High Power Microwave Tube and Component Technology, IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, India, where he is involved in the establishment of various facilities required for the design and development of high-power microwave tube and components. He has authored over 100 research articles in various journals and conference proceedings and over 30 technical reports. He has over 25 years of research and development experience in the area of high-power microwave technology. His current research interests include dielectric antennas, linear accelerator systems, and slow-wave and fast-wave microwave tubes. Dr Tiwari is a Life Fellow of the Vacuum Electron Devices and Application Society. He has delivered invited talks at various national/international conferences. He has also chaired technical sessions in various national/international conferences. He is a reviewer of various journals.