Communications & Power Industries, Inc.

Michael L Tracy

Hunter L McDowell

Todd A Treado

Dennis R Gautreau

Carl D Morrill

Various crossed-field amplifiers (CFAs) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the geometry of the cathode and/or the anode reduces the velocity of the electrons as they travel near the anode drift block to increase the distribution of the electrons in the drift gap. In another embodiment, an abrupt geometric change to the cathode at the beginning or the end of the anode drift block can disperse the electrons, thereby increasing the rate of mixing and diffusion. By increasing the distribution of the electrons, the peak amplitude of spurious emissions produced by a CFA can be reduced.

Crossed-field amplifiers with anode/cathode structures for reduced spurious emissions

A microwave applicator for heating a moving fluid includes a heating chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and through which the fluid to be heated flows. The applicator also includes a microwave energy source and a microwave circuit having at least one wave-guide element. The microwave circuit transforms microwave energy from the microwave source into a cylindrical wave-guide mode within the heating chamber for uniformly heating fluid flowing through the heating chamber. This technology is also applied as a method for applying microwave energy for heating a moving fluid. This method includes passing a fluid from a fluid inlet, through a heating chamber, and out a fluid outlet; and applying a microwave energy source through a microwave circuit including at least one wave-guide element to transform microwave energy from the microwave energy source into a cylindrical wave-guide mode within the heating chamber to uniformly heat the fluid flowing through the heating chamber.

Microwave heating applicator for heating a moving fluid

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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Beverly, MA, United States of America

Michael L Tracy