High power microwave source with a three dimensional printed metamaterial slow-wave structure.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Metamaterials offer novel ways to interact with radiation.
• High-power applications are limited by resonant structures and high electric fields.
• Manufacturing complex slow wave structures for high power is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the first experimental high-power microwave device with a metamaterial-like metallic slow wave structure.
• To showcase the feasibility of additive manufacturing for fabricating such complex structures.
• To analyze the device's electromagnetic characteristics and performance as an oscillator and potential amplifier.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a metallic slow wave structure using additive manufacturing.
• Experimental testing of a C-band microwave source.
• Analysis of frequency tunability with electron beam voltage.
• Characterization of electromagnetic properties and gain for amplifier configuration.

Main Results:

• Successful experimental manifestation of a high-power microwave device.
• Demonstrated feasibility of additive manufacturing for complex metamaterial-like structures.
• The device operates in the C-band and exhibits frequency tunability.
• The device shows potential as both a tunable oscillator and a microwave amplifier.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing is a viable technique for producing high-power microwave devices with metamaterial-like structures.
• The developed device is a promising tunable microwave source.
• The device's characteristics suggest significant potential for use as a microwave amplifier.