Quasi-Lumped Resonator High Curvature Field Multipactor Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coaxial resonators face significant challenges in sustaining operation under high power applications without multipactor breakdown, requiring costly and risky measures such as gas pressurization or DC biasing, which add complexity, weight, and cost.
Innovation Solution
A quasi-lumped resonator structure featuring a tubular inductive portion with radially extending spines and a capacitive portion with spaced apart capacitive fringe plates, enclosed in a housing, which forms high curvature fringing electromagnetic fields less susceptible to multipactor breakdown, eliminating the need for pressurized vessels or auxiliary DC biasing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional coaxial resonators use smooth surfaced cylindrical sections, then electromagnetic field lines have minimal curvature, but the resonator requires gas pressurization or DC biasing to prevent multipactor breakdown under high power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing smooth cylindrical surfaces with structures featuring high curvature regions. Specifically, the resonator incorporates curved surfaces and geometric features that create high electromagnetic field curvature, which prevents multipactor breakdown without requiring gas pressurization or DC biasing. This directly resolves the contradiction by using curvature to improve reliability while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If gas pressurized vessels are used to prevent multipactor breakdown, then resonator reliability improves, but additional mass, equipment complexity, and cost are added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for gas pressurized vessels by incorporating high curvature features directly into the resonator structure. This removes the separate pressurization system, reducing mass, equipment complexity, and cost while maintaining the reliability benefit of preventing multipactor breakdown through geometric design rather than environmental control.
3Reliability
If DC biasing circuitry is added to prevent multipactor breakdown, then resonator reliability improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for DC biasing circuitry by using high curvature geometric features in the resonator structure. This removes the auxiliary DC biasing equipment, reducing device complexity and cost while achieving the same reliability outcome through electromagnetic field geometry control that prevents secondary electron emission.
4Reliability
If pressurized vessels are used to enclose the resonator, then multipactor breakdown is prevented, but risks of explosion and leakage are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high power electromagnetic fields that cause multipactor breakdown into a beneficial geometric design feature. By designing high curvature surfaces, the resonator naturally prevents the harmful electron multiplication effect without creating the new harmful risks of explosion and leakage associated with pressurized vessels. The original harm is eliminated through design rather than containment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resonator design effectively prevents multipactor breakdown under high power conditions, reducing complexity, weight, and cost while eliminating risks associated with pressurized vessels, such as explosion and leakage, and enhancing power handling capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the capacitive portion having a plurality of spaced apart capacitive fringe plates extending generally perpendicularly from the tubular inductive portion... forms high curvature fringing electromagnetic fields less susceptible to multipactor breakdown
Implementation Method 2
The multipactor phenomenon is a secondary electron resonance phenomenon that involves a recurrent RF breakdown of the resonator. More specifically, the recurrent RF breakdown involves the emission of secondary electrons that are stripped off the capacitive portion of the resonator structure
Data Source
AI summary
A quasi-lumped resonator apparatus that makes use of an inductive portion having a plurality of spines extending therefrom along at least a portion of a length thereof, and a capacitive portion electrically and physically coupled to an end of the inductive portion. The capacitive portion has a plurality of spaced apart capacitive fringe plates extending therefrom. A housing is included for enclosing the inductive and capacitive portions. In another aspect a method is disclosed for forming a quasi-lumped resonator.