Magnetron

Figure 1: Magnetron MI 29G ( 29) of the old Russian Radar Bar Lock
The magnetron is a high-powered vacuum tube, that works as self-excited
microwave oscillator. Crossed electron and magnetic fields are used in the
magnetron to produce the high-power output required in radar equipment.
These multicavity devices may be used in radar transmitters as either pulsed
or cw oscillators at frequencies ranging from approximately 600 to 30,000
megahertz. The relatively simple construction has the disadvantage that the
Magnetron usually can work only on a constructively fixed frequency.
Table of Content Magnetron
1. Physical construction of a magnetron
2. Magnetron Basic Operation
Production and acceleration of an electron beam
Velocity-modulation of the electron beam
Forming of a Space-Charge Wheel
Dispense energy to the ac field
3. Transient oscillation
4. Modes of Oscillation
5. Magnetron coupling methods
6. Magnetron frequency tuning
7. History of the invention of the magnetron

Physical construction of a magnetron

The magnetron is classed as a diode because it has no grid. The anode of a
magnetron is fabricated into a cylindrical solid copper block. The cathode
and filament are at the center of the tube and are supported by the filament
leads. The filament leads are large and rigid enough to keep the cathode and
filament structure fixed in position. The cathode is indirectly heated and is
constructed of a high-emission material. The 8 up to 20 cylindrical holes
around its circumference are resonant cavities. A narrow slot runs from each
cavity into the central portion of the tube dividing the inner structure into as
many segments as there are cavities. Each cavitiy work like a parallel
resonant circuit. As depicted in figure 3 by the low frequency analog, the
rear wall of the structure of the anode bloc may be considered to as the
inductive portion (a coil with a single turn). The vane tip region may be
considered as the capacitor portion of the equivalent parallel resonant
circuit. The resonant frequency of a microwave cavity is thereby determined
by the physical dimension of the resonator. If a single resonant cavity
oscillates, then it excites the next one to oszillate too. This one oscillates at
a phase delay of 180 degrees and excites the next resonant cavity, and so
on. From a resonant cavity to the next always occurs this delay of 180
degrees. The chain of resonators thus form a slow-wave structure which is
closed in itself. Because of this slow-wave structure, this design is also called
Multicavity Travelling Wave Magnetron in some publications.

Figure 2: Cutaway view of a magnetron

Figure 3: Each cavitiy work like a parallel resonant circuit.

The cathode of a magnetron provides the electrons through which the

mechanism of energy transfer is accomplished. The cathode is located in the
center of the anode and is made up of a hollow cylinder of emissive material
(mostly Barium Oxyde) surrounding a heater. The feeding wires of the
filament must center the whole cathode. Any eccentricity between anode
and cathode can cause serious internal arcing or malfunction.
The open space between the anode bloc and the cathode is called the
interaction space. In this space the electric and magnetic fields interact to
exert force upon the electrons. The magnetic field is usually provided by a
strong, permanent magnet mounted around the magnetron so that the
magnetic field is parallel with the axis of the cathode.

Figure 4: Forms of the anode block in a magnetron

It generally consists of an even number of microwave cavities arranged in
radial fashion. The form of the cavities varies, shown in the Figure 4.
1.
2.
3.
4.

slot- type
vane- type
rising sun- type
hole-and-slot- type

The slot type, hole-and slot type and the rising sun type are usually
machined by hobbing methods out of solid copper stock. But it can be
difficult to cut softly metal (such as copper) in a lathe. The vane type is
generally made up of individual vanes assembled and brazed into a support
ring therefore. The resonance behavior can be already tested and calibrated
in the laboratory before the anode is installed in the tube. The output lead is
usually a probe or loop extending into one of the tuned cavities and coupled
into a waveguide or coaxial line.
How does a magnetron work?

Magnetron Basic Operation

As when all velocity-modulated tubes the electronic events at the production
microwave frequencies at a magnetron can be subdivided into four phases
too:
1. phase: Production and acceleration of an electron beam in a dc field
2. phase: Velocity-modulation of the electron beam
3. phase: Formation of electron bunches by velocity modulation (here in
form of a Space-Charge Wheel)
4. phase: Dispense energy to the ac field.
1. Phase: Production and acceleration of an electron beam

Figure 5: The electron path under the influence of different strength of the
magnetic field.
Since the cathode is kept at negative voltage, the static electric field is in
radial direction from (grounded) anode block to the cathode. When no
magnetic field exists, heating the cathode results in a uniform and direct
movement of the electron from the cathode to the anode block (the blue
path in figure 5). A weak permanent magnetic field B perpendicular to the
electric field bends the electron path as shown with the green path in figure
5. If the electron flow reaches the anode, so a large amount of plate current
is flowing. If the strength of the magnetic field is increased, the path of the
electron will have a sharper bend. Likewise, if the velocity of the electron
increases, the field around it increases and the path will bend more sharply.
However, when the critical field value is reached, as shown in the figure 5 as
a red path, the electrons are deflected away from the plate and the plate
current then drops quickly to a very small value. When the field strength is
made still greater, the plate current drops to zero.
These values of the anode voltage and magnetic field strength that prevent
an anode current are called Hull cut-off magnetic field and cut-off voltage.
When the magnetron is adjusted to the cut-off, or critical value of the plate
current and the electrons just fail to reach the plate in their circular motion,
it can produce oscillations at microwave frequencies.
2. Phase: Velocity-modulation of the electron beam

Figure 6: The high-frequency electrical field

The electric field in the magnetron oscillator is a product of ac and dc fields.
The dc field extends radially from adjacent anode segments to the cathode.
The ac fields, extending between adjacent segments, are shown at an
instant of maximum magnitude of one alternation of the RF oscillations
occurring in the cavities.
In the figure 6 is shown only the assumed high-frequency electrical ac field.
This ac field work in addition to the to the permanently available dc field.
The ac field of each individual cavity increases or decreases the dc field like
shown in the figure.
Well, the electrons which fly toward the anode segments loaded at the
moment more positively are accelerated in addition. These get a higher
tangential speed. On the other hand the electrons which fly toward the
segments loaded at the moment more negatively are slow down. These get
consequently a smaller tangential speed.
3. Phase: Forming of a Space-Charge Wheel

Figure 7: Rotating space-charge wheel in an twelve-cavity magnetron

On reason the different speeds of the electron groups the velocity
modulation leds to a density modulation therefore.
The cumulative action of many electrons returning to the cathode while
others are moving toward the anode forms a pattern resembling the moving
spokes of a wheel known as a Space-Charge Wheel, as indicated in figure
7. The space-charge wheel rotates about the cathode at an angular velocity
of 2 poles (anode segments) per cycle of the ac field. This phase relationship
enables the concentration of electrons to continuously deliver energy to
sustain the RF oscillations.
One of the spokes just is near an anode segment which is loaded a little
more negatively. The electrons are slowed down and pass her energy on to
the ac field. This state isn't static, because both the ac- field and the wire
wheel permanently circulate. The tangential speed of the electron spokes
and the cycle speed of the wave must be brought in agreement so.
4. Phase: Dispense energy to the ac field

Recall that an electron moving against an E field is accelerated by the field

and takes energy from the field. Also, an electron dispenses energy to a field
and slows down if it is moving in the same direction as the field (positive to

negative). The electron spends energy to each cavity as it passes and

eventually reaches the anode when its energy is expended. Thus, the
electron has helped sustain oscillations because it has taken energy from the
dc field and given it to the ac field. This electron describes the path shown in
figure 5 over a longer time period looked. By the multiple breaking of the
electron the energy of the electron is used optimally. The effectiveness
reaches values up to 80%.
Transient oscillation
After switching the anode voltage, there is still no RF field. The single
electron moves under the influence of the static electric field of the anode
voltage and the effect of the magnetic field as shown in Figure 5 by the red
electron path. Electrons are charge carriers: during the flyby at a gap, they
give off a small part of energy to the cavities. (Similar to a flute: A flute
produces sound when a stream of air is flowing past an edge of a hole.) The
cavity resonator begins to oscillate at its natural resonant frequency.
Immediately begins the interaction between this RF field (with an initial low
power) and the electron beam. The electrons are additionally influenced by
the alternating field. It begins the process described in sequence of phase 1
to 4 of the interaction between RF field and the now velocity-modulated
electrons.
Unfortunately, the transient oscillation doesn't begin with a predictable
phase. Each transient oscillation occurs with a random phase. The
transmitting pulses that are generated by a magnetron are therefore not
coherent.
Modes of Oscillation

Figure 8: Modes of the magnetron

(Anode segments are represented unwound)

Strapping

Figure 9: cutaway view of a magnetron (vane-type) showing the strapping

rings and the slots.

The operation frequency depends on the sizes of the cavities and the
interaction space between anode and cathode. But the single cavities are
coupled over the interaction space with each other. Therefore several
resonant frequencies exist for the complete system. Two of the four possible
waveforms of a magnetron with 12 cavities are in the figure 9 represented.
Several other modes of oscillation are possible ( mode, mode,
mode), but a magnetron operating in the mode has greater power and
output and is the most commonly used.
So that a stable operational condition adapts in the optimal mode, two
constructive measures are possible:
Strapping rings:
The frequency of the mode is separated from the frequency of the other
modes by strapping to ensure that the alternate segments have identical
polarities. For the mode, all parts of each strapping ring are at the same
potential; but the two rings have alternately opposing potentials. For other
modes, however, a phase difference exists between the successive segments
connected to a given strapping ring which causes current to flow in the
straps.

Use of cavities of different resonance frequency

e.g. such a variant is the anode form Rising Sun.
Magnetron coupling methods
Energy (rf) can be removed from a magnetron by means of a coupling loop
as shown in Figure 9 into the bottom one resonator. At frequencies lower
than 10,000 megahertz, the coupling loop is made by bending the inner
conductor of a coaxial line into a loop. The loop is then soldered to the end
of the outer conductor so that it projects into the cavity, as shown in figure
10, view (A) also. Locating the loop at the end of the cavity, as shown in
view (B), causes the magnetron to obtain sufficient pickup at higher
frequencies.

Figure 10: Magnetron coupling, view (A) and (B)

Figure 11: Magnetron coupling, view (C), (D) and (E)

The segment-fed loop method is shown in view (C) of figure 11. The loop
intercepts the magnetic lines passing between cavities. The strap-fed loop
method (view (D), intercepts the energy between the strap and the
segment. On the output side, the coaxial line feeds another coaxial line
directly or feeds a waveguide through a choke joint. The vacuum seal at the

inner conductor helps to support the line. Aperture, or slot, coupling is

illustrated in view (E). Energy is coupled directly to a waveguide through an
iris (made from either glass or ceramic).
Magnetron tuning

A tunable magnetron permits the system to be operated at a precise

frequency anywhere within a band of frequencies, as determined by
magnetron characteristics. The resonant frequency of a magnetron may be
changed by varying the inductance or capacitance of the resonant cavities.

Figure 12: Inductive magnetron tuning

Figure 13: resonant cavities of an hole-and-slot- type magnetron with

inductive tuning elements
An example of a tunable magnetron is the M5114B used by the ATC- Radar
ASR-910. To reduce mutual interferences, the ASR-910 can work on
different assigned frequencies. The frequency of the transmitter must be
tunable therefore. This magnetron is provided with a mechanism to adjust
the Tx- frequency of the ASR-910 exactly.
Figure 13 shows the inductive tuning elements of the TH3123 Magnetron
used in ATC-radar Thomson ER713S. Note that the adjacent the filament
supply lines resonant cavity and the coupling loop cavity are not tunable!

Figure 14: Magnetron M5114B of the ATC-radar ASR-910

Figure 15: Magnetron VMX1090 of the ATC-radar PAR-80 This magnetron is

even equipped with the permanent magnets necessary for the work.

Source:
http://www.radartutorial.eu/08.transmitters/Magnetron.en.html