Formation of long nanosecond rectangular pulses in the active RF pulse compression system with a compact resonant cavity

Abstract

This work presents the results of the study of an active microwave pulse compression system capable of forming the rectangular pulses with duration ~10-100 ns, while its dimensions are several times smaller than the radiated wave train. Such compression system is based on the compact planar-voluminal resonant cavity constructed in the shape of a meander from waveguide sections and H-plane tees. The resonant cavity sections are parallel and are in the same plane with tees. The energy input element is located in the input end of the first section. The output device designed as an H-plane tee interference switch is connected to the output end of the last section. Each end of remaining sections is connected through a straight arm to an H-tee with a short-circuited quarter-wave second straight arm. The side arm of each tee is connected with the side arm of the tee in the next section, thus coupling the sections. The short-circuited arm provides the "open" mode and transmission of the wave from tee to tee. We determined the expressions for wave amplitudes in the components of the meander resonant cavity made of three sections and analyzed the expressions as the functions of the parameters determining the oscillation range and energy distribution in the resonant cavity. Experiments demonstrated that under certain conditions the compressors with such resonant cavity could generate nearly rectangular pulses with duration equal to the time of wave two-way traveling along the resonant cavity, and with the power compatible with that of the wave in the resonant cavity, and the length of the radiated wave train several-fold exceeding the size of the compressor. At pulse duration equal to 25 ns, the gain coefficient was 13 dB and pulse power was 40 MW. The work demonstrates the possibility to change the geometry of the resonant cavity by rearranging its components without changing the output pulse parameters.