Simulation and experiment on transparent cathode for relativistic magnetron

Based on a relativistic magnetron(RM) which has six different cavities, a three-strip transparent cathode has been designed and fabricated to improve the output characteristics of the RM. Computer simulation and laboratory tests are used to compare outputs of RMs using coaxial cathode and transparent cathode, respectively. The computer simulation shows that the RM using transparent cathode has less electron bunching time, less start up time, higher efficiency, better optimized output spectrum and less mode competition. The laboratory tests show that the RM using transparent cathode obtains wider pulses in the same conditions of experiment. The result indicates that using transparent cathode can shorten the start up time of RM, which agrees with the computer simulation. Moreover, the experi