The peniotron: A fast wave device for efficient high power mm-wave generation

The peniotron is a promising fast wave electron tube device capable of efficiently generating moderately high power at mm wavelengths. Unlike the gyrotron, there is no moding problem and the required magnetic field is much lower. Presented here are the results of large signal ballistic calculations of the efficiency and bandwidth. The efficiency of the interaction is shown to be as high as 95% in fundamental mode operation, and quite high in several harmonic modes as well. However, as a resonance device, the peniotron interaction has a very small bandwidth. On the other hand, small signal calculations have shown that the gain and bandwidth follow the same relationships in the peniotron as in the CFA. The possibility of oscillations such as BWO's are also discussed.