Lancaster University Emit Group

VACUUM ELECTRONICS

KEY FACTS

Devices

  • Travelling wave tubes
  • Klystrons
  • Magnetrons
  • Gyrotrons

Applications

  • Communications
  • Satellite
  • Radar
  • Healthcare
  • Cooking

People involved

  • Five

Resources

  • 3D simulation tools
  • multi-core workstations
  • grid
  • mechanical fabrication

Main journals

  • IEEE Trans. on Electron Devices
  • IEEE Trans. on THz Science and Applications
  • International Journal of THz Science and Applications
  • Applied Physics
  • Physics of Plasma
  • International Journal of Electromagnetic Wave Applications

Main conferences

  • IVEC International vacuum electronics conference
  • IRMMW-THZ Infrared, millimetre wave and THz
  • ICOPS - international conference of plasma physics
  • UCMMT - UK/Europe China Millimetre wave and THz application workshop

Why it is important

Vacuum electronics is the beginning of the modern electronics. About sixty years ago the first tube was operating. After the advent of solid state electronics (transistor) its role was reduced. However, wherever is required power at kW, MW or higher level the only solution is a vacuum electron tube The vacuum tubes can be divided in two families

  • slow wave devices: travelling wave tube, klystron, cross field amplifiers, backward wave oscillators
  • fast wave devices: gyrotron, free electron lasers and magnicon

No compact and low cost source are available for enabling the numerous applications in field such as security, healthcare, non destructive imaging, high speed data rate communications.

Our mission

  • Analysis, design and fabrication of innovative configuration of vacuum tubes
  • Evaluation of the accuracy of 3D particle in cells codes

What we did

  • Analysis method for helix slow wave structures (SWSs)
  • Optimization method of the dielectric support rods
  • Statistical analysis of helix SWS

What we will do

  • Accurate analysis method for novel interaction structures

Who we are looking for

Students that likes interdisciplinary approaches, full of initiative and ready to overcome new frontiers. Electronics, physics, electromagnetism, material science, chemistry are only some of the required backgrounds.