Communications & Power Industries, Inc.

Carl D Morrill

Hunter L McDowell

Michael L Tracy

A crossed-field device such as a crossed-field amplifier or magnetron has a generally peripheral cathode body portion and an anode which cooperates with a crossed magnetic field to maintain emitted electrons on cycloidal and amplify an rf input signal as it travels to an rf outlet. A control electrode positioned generally at a drift region away from the crossed-field amplification region interrupts the sustained electron emission to shut down the device between working cycles, and an auxiliary electrode positioned internally of the cathode diverts electrons into a gap proximally of the control electrode to reduce the control electrode energy requirements. The cathode is carried by a support structure, and the auxiliary electrode may be a rod axially extending in a counter-bore in the support structure. The auxiliary electrode is dc biased and may advantageously operate at anode potential, thereby obviating the need for any additional power source for the auxiliary electrode. Preferably the auxiliary electrode forms an inverted magnetron arrangement with the cathode counterbore and diverts electrons from the active region without creating unwanted rf output signal components.

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Topsfield, MA, United States of America

Carl D Morrill