Electromagnetic interference by high power microwaves

摘要

High Power Microwave (HPM) radiation with frequency > 1GHz may penetrate the electronic Systems through front or backdoor openings and propagate like the genuine signal. Some times parasitic resonance may amplify the HPM signal and cause havoc to the systems. The surface currents caused by HPM can also interfere with the normal signals and upset the functioning of the devices. The HPM incident upon the electronic components may damage them by the following mechanisms like adiabatic heating of the junction or punch-through of the depletion layer. High Power Microwave radiation generation studies were performed using the intense electron beam from the KALI1000 Pulse Accelerator by Virtual Cathode Oscillator method. Various axial resonant cavities were used to optimise the microwave emission. The maximum power of 500MW around 5GHz was generated by using an axial resonant cavity with a resonant frequency of 5GHz. The HPM was also used to study the effects on some electronic devices. The HPM caused damage to the op-amps and stopped the functioning of the personal computers. The HPM can also cause breakdown in the low-pressure devices like hydrogen thyratrons and cause spurious triggering in the control circuits that use them.