Impact of Random Fabrication Errors on Fundamental Forward-Wave Small-Signal Gain and Bandwidth in Traveling-Wave Tubes With Finite-Space-Charge Electron Beams

The 1-D small-signal theory for the fundamental spatial harmonic mode developed by Pengvanich et al. is adapted to include the effect of space charge forces in the electron beam. This model allows us to look at how traveling-wave tube (TWT) performance is affected by random fabrication errors, which are modeled as random perturbations of the phase velocity, interaction impedance, and loss along the TWT's length. In particular, we examine the effect on TWT gain and instantaneous 1-dB bandwidth. Random variation of the phase velocity is found to have the largest effect on both the gain and bandwidth, but the impact is reduced as the amount of space charge in the beam is increased.