Terahertz gyrotrons with inhomogeneous magnetic fields to suppress mode competition and enhance efficiency
Zi‐Chao Gao, Chao‐Hai Du, Fan‐Hong Li, Pu‐Kun Liu
Abstract
Gyrotrons are promising radiation sources for bridging the terahertz gap. They are based on the instability of electron cyclotron maser, where the harmonic operation is generally necessary to alleviate the need for a strong magnetic field. Unfortunately, the performance of a harmonic gyrotron is extremely sensitive to mode competition and magnetic tuning. In this study, to achieve highly efficient and mode-selective gyrotrons, inhomogeneous magnetic fields are applied to introduce a specified longitudinal distribution of the detuning frequency between the terahertz wave and the gyrating electron beam. This detuning frequency has different influences on the oppositely traveling forward wave (FW) and backward wave (BW) inside the cavity, from which optimized magnetic-field profiles for FW-favored and BW-favored interaction circuits are generalized accordingly. It is proposed that a negatively tapering magnetic field converts the energy-transfer rate of the FW interaction into a positive value, leading to highly efficient FW interaction. By contrast, a positively tapering magnetic field reduces the detuning frequency of BW interaction and extends its effective length. By controlling the detuning frequency, a scenario of suppressed mode competition is proposed in a 330-GHz second-harmonic gyrotron. A universal understanding of the influence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field—i.e., the detuning frequency—on the interaction dynamics would help to develop efficient and broadband tunable terahertz gyrotrons.