US2801359A - Traveling wave tube - Google Patents

Traveling wave tube Download PDF

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Publication number
US2801359A
US2801359A US279763A US27976352A US2801359A US 2801359 A US2801359 A US 2801359A US 279763 A US279763 A US 279763A US 27976352 A US27976352 A US 27976352A US 2801359 A US2801359 A US 2801359A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
wave
helix
electron
ribbon
stream
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US279763A
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English (en)
Inventor
Arthur V Hollenberg
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AT&T Corp
Original Assignee
Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to NLAANVRAGE7310327,A priority Critical patent/NL177251C/xx
Priority to BE518854D priority patent/BE518854A/xx
Application filed by Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc filed Critical Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc
Priority to US279763A priority patent/US2801359A/en
Priority to DEW10781A priority patent/DE935738C/de
Priority to GB8531/53A priority patent/GB737289A/en
Priority to FR1076379D priority patent/FR1076379A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2801359A publication Critical patent/US2801359A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J23/00—Details of transit-time tubes of the types covered by group H01J25/00
    • H01J23/16—Circuit elements, having distributed capacitance and inductance, structurally associated with the tube and interacting with the discharge
    • H01J23/24—Slow-wave structures, e.g. delay systems
    • H01J23/26—Helical slow-wave structures; Adjustment therefor

Definitions

  • This invention relates to microwave devices and more particularly to such devices which utilize the interacton between a stream of charged particles (e. g. electrons) and a traveling electromagnetic wave, such as those now generally described as traveling wave tubes.
  • a stream of charged particles e. g. electrons
  • a traveling electromagnetic wave such as those now generally described as traveling wave tubes.
  • a wave transmission circuit propagates radio frequency electromagnetic waves therethrough at Velocities slower than the velocity of light and an electron stream is passed in the direction of wave propagation through the electn'c field set up by the wave transmssion circuit.
  • the radio frequency wave in the'wave transmission circuit accelerates electrons in the beam, giving rise therein to an A.-C. ⁇ velocity compo-t nent which sets up an A.-C. conveotion current component.
  • This latter Component setsup -a radio frequency field of its own which combines with the radio frequency field of the wave transmission circuit.
  • the helix-type wave transmission circuit comprising a helically wound wire conductor, is well adapted and consequently it has found wide use as an electric circuit where high gain and broad band are primary considerations. Unfortunately, the required dinensions of such helix circuits are directly related to the wavelengths in the Operating range intended.
  • one object of this invention is to provide a novel and more rugged helix wave transmission circuit for use in traveling wave tubes.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a novel wave circuit adaptable for spatal harmonic wave operation with a circularly cylindrical electron stream.
  • the -principal feature of the present invention is a wave transmission circuit which comprises a helically wound ribbon conductor having its broad dimension parallel to the direction of electron flow and its narrow dimension transverse to the electron flow. It has been found that such a ribbon helix, if properly dimensioned, can be operated efliciently with greater distances around turns than conventional wire helices.
  • the ribbon heliX is wound to have a distance around a complete turn of approximately three halves the free space wavelength of the Operating frequency and t-he ribbon width is made about four fifths of the pitch distance, thereby leaving gaps between turns of approximately one fifth the pitch distance in which gaps appreciably all of the interaction occurs.
  • Fig. 1 shows a traveling wave tube wheren there is incorporated a ribbon heliX circuit in accordance with the invention
  • Fig. 2 comprises a series of sketches illustrating a simple physical picture of the interacton between an electron stream and the wave traveling along the ribbon helix.
  • Fg. 1 shows schematically a traveling wave amplifier 10 in which there is incorporated a ribbon helix wave circuit.
  • the various tube elements are enclosed in an evacuated tubular envelope 11 which preferably is of a non-magnetic metal, such as copper, which permits ruggedness of structure and yet avoids disturbance of the magnetic field customarily used for collimating the electron flow.
  • the electron gun 12 Housed at one end of the envelope 11 and insulated therefrom is the electron gun 12 of conventional structure to provide an electron stream suitable for interaction with the electromagnetic field set up by the wave transmssion circuit.
  • Such an electron gun customarily includes an electron emissive cathode, a heater unit, an intensity control element, and various electrodes for collimating and acceleratng the stream, all of which except the cathode have been omitted here for the sake of Simplicity.
  • a target electrode 13 At the opposite end of the envelope, there is arranged a target electrode 13 for defining with the electron gun a longitudinal path of electron flow.
  • a solenoid 14 positioned outside the envelope 11 provides a longitudinal magnetic field to minimize transver'se com wound ribbon conductor' 15. It* is customary'toemploy,
  • the-ribbon helixis woundto have a plural number of 'half wavelengths of the Operating frequency around one complete turn.
  • the radiation losses from the helix are minimized, i. e., the electric field is con centrated in a'thin shell close 'to the helix where it can be utilized, rather 'than rradiating. widely, when each complete turn'is approximately an odd number of half wavelengths of ⁇ the Operating wavelength.
  • the distance around one complete turn is approximately three halves the operating wavelength. It can 'be appreciated that this permits a helix diameter which is effectively three times the diameter of .the conventional wire helix wound to have, .a single turn of approximately 'one half a wavelength of the Operating frequency. e
  • The' tube is operated in the manner well known for traveling wave operation.
  • An 'input electromagnetic wave being propagated in the wave guide '17, which is a path in a wave transmission system, is applied therefrom through the glass seal 23, and by suitable transducer means to the'end 18 of the ribbon helix nearest ⁇ the electron gun and is thereafter propagated along the helix 'to the opposite end 19.
  • the electron gun is energized to provide an electron flow past the ribbon helix and through its surrounding electric field.
  • the electron gun is operated at a potential negative to those of the ribbon helix and the target electrode by suitable voltage supply sources.
  • the amplified wave is derived from the end 19 of the ribbon helix by suitable transducer means ⁇ and applied through the glass seal 24 to the wave guide 20 which is a continuation of the wave transrnission system of which the wave guide 17 is a part.
  • Ribbon helices of such high ribbon-to-gap ratios can be Conveniently constructed'by grooving a hollow metallic cylinder along a helical path.
  • the helical ribbon conductor 15 which forms the wave circuit in the tube 10 is of 'this Construction.
  • the helix can be constructed by winding a ribbon conductor, in which case the helix can be supported in the path of electron flow by conventional means, as by spacer rods.
  • Fig; 2 there'is shown a series of sketches illustrating the fields *acting on an electron in its traversal of one pitch distance.
  • an electron 31 near the ribbon :conductor 33 of the helix and in one of the gaps &between 'helix turns at an instance 1:0, where t will be the t ime elapsed in traveling from this starting point, when the axial electric field across the gap shown vectorially as EF is at a maximum' and in a direction to oppose the electron motion.
  • the electron loses energy in crossing the gap 32 and is slowed down.
  • a ribbon helix of this type can be similarly used as a wave circuit in amplifiers which do not employ a continuous wave circuit but employ separate input and output wave circuits to induce signal modulations Upstream on a path of electron flow and to abstract output waves downstream on the path of electron flow such as the various forms of. space charge ampliers.
  • a wave circuit of this kind can find application in devices, other than amplifiers, which utilize the interaction between electron streams and traveling waves.
  • an electron source and target electrode defining a path of electron flow, and a wave transmission circuit along said path for propagating an electromagnetic wave for interaction with the electron flow consisting only of a ribbon conductor formed in a helix, the Wide dimension of said ribbon extending parallel to the the path of electron flow and exceeding the gap between successive turns throughout substantially the entire length of the helix, and the distance around a complete turn of the helix being approximately a plural odd integral number of half wavelengths of the electromagnetic wave propagating along said crcuit.
  • a microwave device for utilizing the interaction between an electrornagnetic wave and an electron stream comprising means definng a path of electron flow, and a wave transmission circuit in the path of said flow consisting only of a helical ribbon conductor having the wide dimension of the ribbon parallel to the direction of electron flow, said wide dimension being approxi mately 0.8 the pitch distance throughout a major portion of the length of the helix, and the distance around a single turn of the helix being approximately equal to three halves a wavelength of the Operating frequency.
  • a source of charged particles means for directing the charged particles from said source along a predetermined path, a slow Wave transmission crcuit for propagating electromagnetc waves along said path for interaction with the charged particles consisting only of a ribbon conductor formed in a helx having the wide dimension of the ribbon conductor parallel to the helix axis, said wide dimension being at least 0.8 the pitch of the helix throughout a major portion of the length of the helix, and the distance around a single turn of the helix being a plural odd number of half wavelengths at the Operating frequency, an external coupling connector at one end of the slow wave transmission circuit, and impedance matching means located at one end 'of said transmission crcuit comprising a conductive member which includes a tapered helical grooving for matching the impedance of the helical ribbon conductor to the characteristic impedance of the external coupling Connector.
  • a traveling wave tube comprising an evacuated enclosing envelope, electron gun means at one end of said envelope for projecting an electron stream along an extended path in said envelope, electron collector means at the opposite end of said envelope, and means defining a transmission circuit entirely within said en- Velope and at all points thereof directly adjacent said path and extending substantially the entire length of said path between said gun and said collector for propagating therealong an electromagnetic wave for interaction with said electron stream, said transmission circuit comprising only a flat ribbon conductor formed in a heliX extendng continuously and substantially over the entire interaction region between said electron gun means and said electron collector means, the axial width of each turn of said ribbon conductor being very large in comparison to its transverse width and said axial width'being substantially larger than the gaps between adjacent turns of said helix.

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  • Microwave Tubes (AREA)
US279763A 1952-04-01 1952-04-01 Traveling wave tube Expired - Lifetime US2801359A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NLAANVRAGE7310327,A NL177251C (nl) 1952-04-01 Fotometrische analyse-inrichting met een rotor waarin een aantal monstercuvetten.
BE518854D BE518854A (ar) 1952-04-01
US279763A US2801359A (en) 1952-04-01 1952-04-01 Traveling wave tube
DEW10781A DE935738C (de) 1952-04-01 1953-03-15 Wanderfeldroehrenanordnung
GB8531/53A GB737289A (en) 1952-04-01 1953-03-27 Improvements in or relating to electron discharge devices utilising travelling waves
FR1076379D FR1076379A (fr) 1952-04-01 1953-03-31 Tube à ondes progressives

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US279763A US2801359A (en) 1952-04-01 1952-04-01 Traveling wave tube

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2801359A true US2801359A (en) 1957-07-30

Family

ID=23070342

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US279763A Expired - Lifetime US2801359A (en) 1952-04-01 1952-04-01 Traveling wave tube

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US2801359A (ar)
BE (1) BE518854A (ar)
DE (1) DE935738C (ar)
FR (1) FR1076379A (ar)
GB (1) GB737289A (ar)
NL (1) NL177251C (ar)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2955223A (en) * 1956-09-12 1960-10-04 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Traveling wave tube
US2985790A (en) * 1952-05-17 1961-05-23 English Electric Valve Co Ltd Backward wave tube
US3002164A (en) * 1960-05-24 1961-09-26 Sanders Associates Inc High frequency transmission line coupling device

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR955557A (ar) * 1945-03-22 1950-01-17
US2595698A (en) * 1949-05-10 1952-05-06 Rca Corp Electron discharge device and associated circuit
US2610308A (en) * 1947-10-31 1952-09-09 Int Standard Electric Corp Hyperfrequency electron tube
US2611101A (en) * 1947-04-15 1952-09-16 Wallauschek Richard Traeling wave amplifier tube
US2637775A (en) * 1948-03-16 1953-05-05 Rca Corp Coupling of a helical conductor to a wave guide
US2672571A (en) * 1950-08-30 1954-03-16 Univ Leland Stanford Junior High-frequency oscillator
US2672572A (en) * 1947-07-18 1954-03-16 Philco Corp Traveling wave tube

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR958202A (ar) * 1950-03-06
GB677990A (en) * 1947-11-28 1952-08-27 Philco Corp Improvements in electronic discharge tubes

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR955557A (ar) * 1945-03-22 1950-01-17
US2611101A (en) * 1947-04-15 1952-09-16 Wallauschek Richard Traeling wave amplifier tube
US2672572A (en) * 1947-07-18 1954-03-16 Philco Corp Traveling wave tube
US2610308A (en) * 1947-10-31 1952-09-09 Int Standard Electric Corp Hyperfrequency electron tube
US2637775A (en) * 1948-03-16 1953-05-05 Rca Corp Coupling of a helical conductor to a wave guide
US2595698A (en) * 1949-05-10 1952-05-06 Rca Corp Electron discharge device and associated circuit
US2672571A (en) * 1950-08-30 1954-03-16 Univ Leland Stanford Junior High-frequency oscillator

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2985790A (en) * 1952-05-17 1961-05-23 English Electric Valve Co Ltd Backward wave tube
US2955223A (en) * 1956-09-12 1960-10-04 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Traveling wave tube
US3002164A (en) * 1960-05-24 1961-09-26 Sanders Associates Inc High frequency transmission line coupling device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1076379A (fr) 1954-10-26
NL177251C (nl)
DE935738C (de) 1955-11-24
GB737289A (en) 1955-09-21
BE518854A (ar)

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