Q switching microwave oscillator

Abstract

A housing defining a first cavity forming a transmission line and a negative impedance semiconductor device terminating one end of the transmission line in a negative impedance, the housing further defining a second cavity resonant at a predetermined frequency and a means of electromagnetically coupling between the transmission line and the second cavity to couple energy therebetween, a reactive element formed between said negative impedance semiconductor device and the housing to provide a shunt susceptance to parallel resonate with the susceptance of the semiconductor device at the desired frequency and bias, and load isolator connected to the opposite end of the transmission line for transmitting RF output pulses to the RF load and for applying a DC bias thereto normally at a first level and periodically reduced to a second level for a short duration, said semiconductor device operating as a series resonant circuit with the DC bias at the first level to cause energy to be stored in the resonant cavity and operating in parallel resonance with the reactive element when the DC bias is at the second level to lower the Q of the resonant cavity and allow energy to flow from the resonant cavity to the RF load in a short duration, high peak power pulse.