Plasma-and-magnetic field-assisted, high-power microwave source and method

A plasma and magnetic field-assisted microwave source, comprising:

• a containment vessel configured to contain an ionizable gas;
• a slow-wave structure which includes a passage through said slow-wave structure and which is positioned in said containment vessel;
• an electron gun positioned to launch an electron beam through said passage, said electron beam thereby launched through said ionizable gas to exert electrostatic confinement forces and primary magnetic confinement forces upon electrons which diverge from said electron beam;
• a microwave output port coupled to said slow-wave structure for the extraction of microwave energy which is generated by interaction between said electron beam and electromagnetic energy in said slow wave structure;
• and
• a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field which has a strength less than 200 gauss and which is arranged with at least a portion of said magnetic field directed through-said passage to exert secondary magnetic confinement forces upon electrons which diverge from said electron beam.

A plasma and magnetic field-assisted microwave source, comprising:

• a containment vessel configured to contain an ionizable gas;
• a slow-wave structure defined by at least a portion of said containment vessel, said slow-wave structure having a passage therethrough and positioned in said containment vessel;
• an electron gun positioned to launch an electron beam through said passage, said electron beam thereby launched through said ionizable gas to exert electrostatic confinement forces and primary magnetic confinement forces upon electrons which diverge from said electron beam;
• a microwave output port coupled to said slow-wave structure for the extraction of microwave energy which is created by interaction between said electron beam and electromagnetic energy in said slow wave structure;
• and
• a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field which has a strength less than 200 gauss and which is arranged with at least a portion of said magnetic field directed through said passage to exert secondary magnetic confinement forces upon electrons which diverge from said electron beam.