Microwave tube amplifier stage with wide band and low dispersivity in frequency

Abstract

This amplifier stage comprises a microwave tube wherein an electron beam (3) is made to interact with a microwave having a frequency variable within a given useful range, the velocity of the electrons of the beam being determined by a cathode voltage (V.sub.k) applied to the tube and the microwave being propagated in said delay structure (4) that imposes a phase velocity close to the velocity of the electron beam on said microwave. The cathode voltage is a variable voltage, regulated as a function of said frequency, said voltage varying with the frequency to modify the velocity of the electrons of the beam in such a way that, for every frequency of said useful range of frequencies, the corresponding velocity of these electrons remains essentially, but not precisely, identical to the phase velocity of the microwave. Thus, the dispersivity in frequency of the delay structure is compensated for, and the output power delivered by the tube is thus kept essentially constant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.