Microwave window having dielectric variations for tuning of resonances

Abstract

Abstract A high-power microwave window structure is disclosed. The window structure includes a hollow waveguide having a dielectric wave permeable gastight partition sealed thereacross to form the window assembly. The window structure is capable of being impedance matched to the waveguide structure to provide a relatively wide passband. In certain windows the passband can be as wide as the recommended bandwidth for the waveguide itself. Such window structures are plagued by ''''trapped'''' and ''''ghost'''' resonant modes which are excited into resonance by slight asymmetries in the window structure. At their resonant frequencies, these modes couple energy from the main propogating mode to produce an impedance mismatch and at high-power levels, overheating and failure of the window structure. Thus, operation at high-power levels is typically restricted to frequency ranges between a pair of such resonant modes. The frequency separation between the resonant modes is increased to provide broader band operation by selectively tuning the resonant frequencies of these modes by selectively varying the electrical path length through the window structure for one or more of these modes. For example, the window is made thicker near the periphery where one of the resonant modes has its most intense electric fields and made thinner near the center where another of the modes has its intense electric fields to tune one of the modes higher in frequency, while the other mode is being tuned lower in frequency. The mean thickness of the window is maintained approximately constant such as not to change appreciably the passband for the main propagating mode. Alternatively, the dielectric constant for various portions of the window can be changed for changing the electrical path length through the window as aforedescribed.

Inventors

• 👤 Joseph K Mann

Bibliographic Details