On the synthesis of radiation spectrum in a sectioned relativistic backward wave tube

We have studied the possibility of controlling the radiation spectrum of a high-power relativistic backward wave tube (BWT) by varying the period of its delay system. For a BWT comprising several sections with different corrugation periods, two-and three-mode generation regimes with commensurate amplitudes of spectral components have been found, the separation of which can be controlled by changing the corrugation period. It is shown that, for a sufficiently large detuning, such a configuration of the interaction space makes possible the generation of noiselike chaotic signals with separated or overlapping spectra. In the latter case, the width of the radiation spectrum is almost twice that of a regular BWT of the same length.