Phase and frequency locking of a cavity vircator driven by a relativistic magnetron

摘要

Observations of mode selection, frequency locking, and phase locking of a high‐power,S‐band, cavity vircator oscillator by an externally injected, relativistic magnetron are reported. The injected electric field can increase the virtual cathode oscillation growth rate and defeat chirping. The peak power extracted from the driven vircator cavity is between 100 and 500 MW. The output power from the magnetron is comparable. The virtual cathode oscillation frequency is pulled to the magnetron frequency in 3–5 ns. Locked phase measurements versus the allowable frequency detuning that yields locking agree with predictions. The output power of the driven cavity vircator is two to three times that obtained from a free‐running, undriven vircator.