Buffer for an electron beam collector

A buffer for protecting the electron beam collector of a travelling wave tube,

• said collector comprising an elongated tubular wall, an elongated tubular insulating wall of one type of material, an elongated cylindrical electrode of another type of material coaxially positioned within said insulating wall, and said buffer interposed between said electrode and said insulating wall,
• said collector further comprising a cylindrical end-piece having a beam entrance aperture which is adapted to receive a beam of electrons, and
• said electrode having a corresponding beam entrance aperture,
• said buffer comprising:
• a continuous web of buffer material capable of being bonded to dissimilar said insulating wall material said electrode material, said web having an alternating pattern of corrugations, the vertices of said corrugations being generally planar and defining two generally parallel, planar surfaces adapted for bonding to said insulating wall and said electrode,
• said vertices of said corrugations being offset and nonaligned in adjacent rows so as to prevent the trapping of gases between said planar surfaces and thereby enhance the thermal dissipation capability of said collector, whereby
• said continuous web of corrugations permits expansion and contraction of said insulating wall and said electrode by absorbing mechanical stresses, and
• said continuous web of corrugations maintains thermal conductivity between said insulating wall and said electrode.