US 12,444,566 B2
Traveling wave tube
David R. Sar, Corona, CA (US); and Adam M. Conway, Tucson, AZ (US)
Assigned to Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/660,376.
Prior Publication US 2023/0343542 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 23/24 (2006.01); H01J 23/06 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 23/24 (2013.01) [H01J 23/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A traveling wave tube (TWT), comprising:
an electron gun configured to generate an electron beam (E-beam);
a signal injector configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) input signal;
a slow wave structure (SWS) comprising:
an inner structure;
an outer wall enclosing at least the inner structure; and
an aperture configured to combine the E-beam and the RF signal within a space between the inner structure and the outer wall to generate an amplified RF signal; and
at least one electromagnetically/electrooptically-active material on at least one of: (1) at least one projection on at least one of a periphery of the inner structure or on a side of the outer wall facing the inner structure or (2) the periphery of the inner structure, the at least one electromagnetically/electrooptically-active material configured to receive at least one electromagnetic signal to control, on-the-fly, amplification of the RF signal by adjusting dampening of spurious modes.