A two-channel relativistic backward-wave generator with 8-mm range, controllable phase difference, and channel power of 230 MW

The coherent composition of the wave beams of two relativistic nanosecond backward-wave tubes (BWTs) with an 8-mm range and peak power in each channel of up to 230 MW is implemented. A specific feature of this experiment was power supply of explosive-emission cathodes by split pulses supplied by a completely solid-phase SOS modulator with reduced amplitude scatter. The voltage growth rate was increased compared to previous experiments, which made it possible to transition to the region of weaker magnetic fields ∼2 T, which was less than cyclotron resonance field, while retaining stable emission of the electron beams. As a result, a standard deviation of phase scatter between the channels of 0.5 ps was found on the time scale.