Depressed collector for sorting radial energy level of a gyrating electron beam

A depressed collector operatively connected to a microwave device generating an electron beam comprised of individual electrons having varying levels of radial energy, said electron beam gyrating about a common axis associated with said microwave device and said collector, said collector recovering energy of said gyrating electron beam after said beam has exited said microwave device, said collector comprising:

• means for sorting said individual electrons of said electron beam on the basis of their respective radial energy levels, the sorting means comprising a plurality of stages, with said individual electrons having the highest radial energy being collected at a first one of said stages, and said individual electrons having lesser amounts of radial energy being collected at respective subsequent ones of said stages;
• wherein a majority of the energy of the individual electrons within the collector is in a direction transverse to said axis, and wherein each of said stages comprises an electrode having a respective negative potential applied thereto, the first one of the electrode stages having applied the greatest negative potential with respect to the microwave device, and subsequent electrodes respectively having applied generally decreasing relative potential.

A depressed collector for use with a microwave device having an interaction region, said microwave device providing an electron beam that is transmitted through said interaction region and into said collector, said collector recovering energy remaining in said electron beam after passing through said interaction region, said collector comprising:

• a collector support structure;
• and
• means for sorting electrons of said electron beam within said support structure, said electrons having varying radial energy levels, said sorting means sorting said electrons on the basis of their respective radial energy levels, wherein a majority of the energy of the electrons within the collector is in a generally radial direction.

A depressed collector for use with a microwave device having an interaction region, said microwave device providing an electron beam that is transmitted through said interaction region and into said collector, said collector recovering energy remaining in said electron beam after passing through said interaction region, said collector comprising:

• a collector support structure;
• and
• means for sorting electrons of said electron beam within said support structure, said electrons having varying radial energy levels, said sorting means sorting said electrons on the basis of their respective radial energy levels, wherein a majority of the energy of the electrons within the collector is in a generally radial direction, and wherein said sorting means further comprises a first electrode having a high negative potential applied thereto with respect to the microwave device, and at least one additional electrode respectively having generally lower relative potential than the high negative potential applied to said first electrode, said first electrode being closest in proximity to said microwave device.