Key-Holes Magnetron Design and Multiphysics Simulation

A. Leggieri[1], F. Di Paolo[1], D. Passi[1]
[1]Univeristy of Rome "Tor Vergata" - Department of Electronic Engineering, Rome, Italy
Published in 2013

This paper describes the design and characterization of an 8 slots resonant cavity Magnetron, which undergoes thermal-structural effects due to cathode heating.

The proposed study involves Thermal Stress, Eigen-frequency and Particle Tracing analysis based on COMSOL Multiphysics®.

Magnetrons are well known and often utilized High Power Radiofrequency Vacuum Tube oscillators. In order to generate high power signals, they employ thermoelectric cathodes which can reach very high temperatures, necessary to produce enough cathode surface charge density.

Since device efficiency depends critically on the operating temperature, a Multiphysics approach has been adopted. A computation of electric fields, particle trajectories and velocities has been performed, considering the thermal-structural modifications induced by the cathode heating to the entire structure.