Slotted dielectric-lined waveguide couplers and windows

• US 5,043,629 A
• Filed: 08/16/1990
• Issued: 08/27/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Inventors: Doane, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): GENSLER, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US07/568,410
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 333/113, 333/21 R, 333/230, 333/248, 333/251, 333/252, 315/4, 315/5
• US Class Current: 315/5
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 23/40 to or from the interaction circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/08 Dielectric windows
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/16 for mode selection, e.g. mode suppression or mode promotion; for mode conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence

Abstract

Dielectric-filled longitudinal slots in the common wall of concentric circular and coaxial dielectric-lined waveguides allow microwave energy to be efficiently coupled therethrough. Such couplers are used with megawatt level gyrotrons for varied applications. One application provides a double seal waveguide vacuum window with low reflections over a wideband of frequencies. Another application provides an output coupler and window for quasi-optical gyrotrons. Still another application provides a waveguide mode converter for converting high order microwave modes, as are commonly found in waveguide cavities of high power gyrotrons, to lower-order modes suitable for low-loss transmission, such as the HE₁₁ mode.

Claims

1. Waveguide coupling apparatus for converting microwave energy in a circular waveguide propagating the HE₁₁ mode to a suitable coaxial waveguide mode, each of said waveguide modes having a phase velocity associated therewith, said apparatus comprising:

a circular waveguide;

a coaxial waveguide concentric with said circular waveguide and overlapping a portion of said circular waveguide, a common wall separating said circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide, said common wall comprising an outer wall of said circular waveguide and an inner wall of said coaxial waveguide in the portion of overlap;

means for coupling the microwave energy in said circular waveguide to a corresponding mode in the coaxial waveguide, said coupling means including an array of N equally spaced axial slots placed in said common wall, where N is an integer, said slots being filled with a dielectric;

a dielectric lining on both sides of the common wall in the portion of overlap, the respective thicknesses of said dielectric lining on at least one side of the common wall being tapered to optimize the coupling and to cause an intersection of the phase velocities of the microwave energy propagating the respective waveguide modes in said circular and coaxial waveguides.

2. The waveguide coupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including conversion means for converting the microwave energy from the HE₁₁ mode in said circular waveguide to an intermediate mode suitable for coupling through said axial slots, said means including a phase shifting section of smooth waveguide followed by a section of corrugated waveguide, said corrugated waveguide having corrugations that increase in depth from zero to a first depth, said first depth being selected to match the intermediate mode at one end of said N equally spaced axial slots.

3. The waveguide coupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including conversion means for converting the microwave energy from the HE₁₁ mode in said circular waveguide to an intermediate mode suitable for coupling through said axial slots, said means including corrugations introduced in said circular waveguide, said corrugations having a depth that increases from approximately one-quarter wavelength to match the HE₁₁ mode to approximately one-half wavelength to match the intermediate mode at one end of said N equally spaced axial slots.

4. The waveguide coupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said axial slots include a taper in the width thereof at the beginning and end of each slot.

5. The waveguide coupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the dielectric lining is tapered on both sides of said slotted common wall in a way that causes the phase velocities of the modes in said circular and coaxial waveguides to intersect.

6. Waveguide window apparatus comprising:

first waveguide coupling means for coupling microwave energy from a first circular waveguide to a coaxial waveguide;

second waveguide coupling means for coupling microwave energy from said coaxial waveguide to a second circular waveguide;

pressure tight sealing means for;

(a) sealing said first circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide in the region of said first waveguide coupling means, (b) sealing said second circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide in the region of said second waveguide coupling means, (c) sealing said coaxial waveguide from its surrounding environment and (d) sealing said first circular waveguide from said second circular waveguide; and

absorbing means positioned within said first and second circular waveguides and said coaxial waveguide for;

(a) preventing reflections of any microwave energy incident upon said first and second waveguide coupling means in unwanted modes, and (b) avoiding reflections of microwave energy not completely coupled through said first and second waveguide coupling means.

7. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said coaxial waveguide is concentric with and overlaps a first end portion of said first circular waveguide in a first region of overlap, and is concentric with and overlaps a first end portion of said second circular waveguide in a second region of overlap, a first common wall separating said first circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide in the first region of overlap, and a second common wall separating said second circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide in the second region of overlap, said first and second common walls in the first and second regions of overlap being respectively lined with first and second dielectric linings on both sides of the common wall.

8. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first coupling means comprises a first array of N equally spaced axial slots placed in said first common wall in the first region of overlap, where N is an integer, and wherein said second coupling means comprises a second array of M equally spaced axial slots placed in said second common wall in the second region of overlap, where M is an integer.

9. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sealing means includes a dielectric that fills said axial slots placed in said first and second common walls.

10. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second dielectric linings have tapers of respective varying thicknesses on each side of the respective common walls, the thickness tapers of said dielectric linings being chosen to optimize the coupling and to cause an intersection of the phase velocities of the microwave energy propagating in the respective waveguide modes in said circular and coaxial waveguides.

11. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein an inner wall of said coaxial waveguide comprises said first and second common wall in the first and second regions of overlap, whereby said first and second circular waveguides have a diameter equal to the inside diameter of an inner conductor of said coaxial waveguide.

12. The waveguide window apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein an inner wall of said coaxial waveguide comprises said first common wall in the first region of overlap, and wherein an outer wall of said coaxial waveguide comprises said second common wall in the second region of overlap, whereby said first circular waveguide has a diameter smaller than said second circular waveguide.

13. Output coupler apparatus for coupling microwave energy out of a quasi-optical microwave resonator said microwave resonator including mirrors aligned to reflect resonating microwave energy therebetween, a first mirror having a diameter D, said coupler apparatus, comprising:

a circular waveguide having a coupling end and an output end, said circular waveguide being adapted to propagate microwave energy in the HE₁₁ mode, said circular waveguide further having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter D of said first mirror;

a coaxial waveguide concentric with said circular waveguide and overlapping a portion of said circular waveguide proximate said coupling end, a common wall separating said circular waveguide from said coaxial waveguide, said common wall comprising an outer wall of said circular waveguide and an inner wall of said coaxial waveguide in the portion of overlap, the diameter D of said first mirror approximately matching the outside diameter of said common wall, said common wall being attached at one end to a back side of said first mirror, whereby a portion of the microwave energy resonating in said quasi-optical microwave resonator escapes over said first mirror and into said coaxial waveguide;

means for coupling the microwave energy propagating in said coaxial waveguide to the coupling end of said circular waveguide, said coupling means including an array of N equally spaced axial slots placed in said common wall in the portion of overlap, where N is an integer, said slots being filled with a dielectric; and

a dielectric lining on both sides of the common wall in the portion of overlap.

14. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including:

first absorbing means within said coaxial waveguide positioned nearest the output end of said circular waveguide and farthest from said quasi-optical microwave resonator for preventing reflections of microwave energy back towards said quasi-optical microwave resonator; and

second absorbing means within said circular waveguide nearest said coupling end for preventing reflections of unwanted microwave modes.

15. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said dielectric lining on the coaxial waveguide side of said common wall has a taper in its thickness intermediate said axial slots and said quasi-optical microwave resonator, said taper optimizing the matching of microwave energy diffracted around said quasi-optical microwave resonator into said coaxial waveguide.

16. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further including corrugations of variable depth placed on the coaxial side of said common wall intermediate said axial slots and said quasi-optical microwave resonator, the depth of said corrugations being selected to optimize the matching of microwave energy diffracted around said quasi-optical microwave resonator into said coaxial waveguide.

17. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further including means for optimizing the coupling of the microwave energy into said coaxial waveguide from said quasi-optical microwave resonator.

18. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said optimizing means comprises an outer wall of said coaxial waveguide that tapers to a larger diameter proximate said quasi-optical microwave resonator.

19. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including window means for physically sealing and separating one side of said common wall from the other, said window means including the dielectric filled slots of said common wall.

20. The output coupler apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said quasi-optical microwave resonator comprises part of a quasi-optical gyrotron.

21. Waveguide mode converter apparatus comprising:

(a) a circular waveguide having a coupling end and an output end, said circular waveguide being adapted to propagate microwave energy in a first waveguide mode;

(b) a first coaxial waveguide concentric with said circular waveguide and overlapping a first portion of said circular waveguide proximate said coupling end, a first common wall separating said circular waveguide from said first coaxial waveguide, said first common wall comprising an outer wall of said circular waveguide and an inner wall of said first coaxial waveguide in the first portion of overlap;

(c) first coupling means for coupling microwave energy propagating in said first coaxial waveguide to a first waveguide mode in said circular waveguide, said first coupling means including an array of N equally spaced axial slots placed in said first common wall in the first portion of overlap, where N is an integer;

(d) a coaxial waveguide extension connected to said first coaxial waveguide, an inner wall of said coaxial waveguide extension comprising an extension of said first common wall;

(e) a second coaxial waveguide overlapping a second portion of said coaxial waveguide extension, a second common wall separating said coaxial waveguide extension from said second coaxial waveguide, said second common wall comprising an outer wall of said coaxial waveguide extension and an inner wall of said second coaxial waveguide;

(f) second coupling means for coupling microwave energy propagating in a second waveguide mode in said second coaxial waveguide to said first coaxial waveguide, said second coupling means including an array of M equally spaced axial slots placed in said second common wall in the second portion of overlap, where M is an integer; and

(g) means for separating TE and TM modes of microwave energy propagating through said mode converter apparatus;

whereby microwave energy propagating in said second waveguide mode in said second coaxial waveguide is coupled to propagate in said first waveguide mode in said circular waveguide.

22. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said mode separating means comprises a dielectric lining on both sides of the common wall in the first portion of overlap, and corrugations on the inner wall of said first coaxial waveguide in the second portion of overlap.

23. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 22 further including a dielectric lining on the inside wall of said coaxial waveguide extension intermediate said first and second portions of overlap.

24. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 22 further including corrugations on the inside wall of said coaxial waveguide extension intermediate said first and second portions of overlap.

25. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein each of said N axial slots are filled with a dielectric.

26. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 25 further including mode suppression means for suppressing unwanted modes in said first and second coupling means.

27. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein said mode suppression means comprises a taper in the width of said N or M axial slots proximate the beginning and end of the first or second portions of overlap, respectively.

28. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 26 further including means for changing the propagation constant of microwave energy propagating through said mode converter apparatus.

29. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said propagation constant changing means comprises a taper in the thickness of the dielectric lining on the inside wall of said coaxial waveguide extension in a region of said coaxial waveguide extension where there are no axial slots.

30. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said propagation constant changing means comprises a taper in the depth of corrugations on the inside wall of said coaxial waveguide extension in a region of said coaxial waveguide extension where there are no axial slots.

31. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further including connecting means for connecting said second coaxial waveguide to a second circular waveguide.

32. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 31 wherein said connecting means comprises a taper in the diameter of a center conductor of said second coaxial waveguide from its value in the second portion of overlap to zero.

33. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 31 wherein said connecting means includes third coupling means between said second coaxial waveguide and said second circular waveguide, said second coaxial waveguide being positioned concentric with said second circular waveguide and overlapping a third portion of said second circular waveguide proximate a coupling end of said second circular waveguide, a third common wall separating said second circular waveguide from said second coaxial waveguide, said third coupling means comprising an array of L equally spaced axial slots placed in said third common wall in the third portion of overlap, where L is an integer.

34. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein said second circular waveguide is coupled to a gyrotron, and wherein microwave energy propagating in said second circular waveguide propagates in a third waveguide mode.

35. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 34 wherein said third waveguide mode comprises an output mode of said gyrotron.

36. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 33 wherein said second circular waveguide is coupled to a gyrotron, and wherein microwave energy propagating in said second circular waveguide propagates in a third waveguide mode.

37. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 36 wherein said third waveguide mode comprises an output mode of said gyrotron.

38. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein said second circular waveguide is located inside a gyrotron, the dielectric-filled slots of said second coupling means comprising an output window of said gyrotron, an electron beam of said gyrotron being separated from the microwave energy by said second coupling means.

39. Waveguide mode converter apparatus as set forth in claim 38 wherein the first waveguide mode of the microwave energy propagating in said circular waveguide comprises the HE₁₁ mode.