10 / 2018-05-15 08:44:29

Progress of Multipactor Detection in the Space High-power Microwave Components

multipactor, detecting method, automatic nulling method, seeding electron source

The multipactor effect is an electron discharge which is exerted by a force on primary free electrons in vacuum and driven by electromagnetic fields between dielectric or metal surfaces. It will result in serious consequences such as rising noise level, damaging component surfaces, increasing voltage standing wave ratio of transmission system, and even permanent failure. Thus it becomes a bottleneck problem in developing high power microwave components for satellite. With the higher power of satellite, it is essential that some of microwave components should experiment multipactor due to lack of appropriate manufacture and storage on earth. Current methods for detecting multipactor are introduced and analyzed, such as close to carrier noise, harmonic noise, the forward and backward power, and microwave nulling method. Recent years, automatic and digital characteristic method for detecting multipactor as well as safe is proposed. Automatic nulling method for multipactor detection is presented, seeding electron source including regulated electron gun, radioactive sources, and UV lamp is introduced and then application condition is analyzed.

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U1537211, 11705142, and 11675278) and the National Key Laboratory Foundation, China (Grant No. 9140C530101150C53011)