Vacuum Electronics

This book focuses on a fundamental feature of vacuum electronics: the strong interaction of the physics of electron beams and vacuum microwave electronics, including millimeter-wave electronics. The author guides readers from the roots of classical vacuum electronics to the most recent achievements in the field. Special attention is devoted to the physics and theory of relativistic beams and microwave devices, as well as the theory and applications of specific devices.

Nineteen experts from the electronics industry, research institutes and universities have joined forces to prepare this book. It does nothing less than provide a complete overview of the electrophysical fundamentals, the present state of the art and applications, as well as the future prospects of microwave tubes and systems. The book does the same for optoelectronics vacuum devices, electron and ion beam devices, light and X-ray emitters, particle accelerators and vacuum interrupters.

Get up-to-speed on the theory, principles and design of vacuum electron devices.

This book gives an overview of modern cathodes and electron emitters for vacuum tubes and vacuum electron devices in general. It covers the latest developments in field emission theory as well as new methods towards improving thermionic and cold cathodes. It addresses thermionic cathodes, such as oxide cathodes, impregnated and scandate cathodes, as well as photocathodes and field emitters – the latter comprising carbon nanotubes, graphene and Spindt-type emitter arrays. Despite the rise and fall of the once dominant types of vacuum tubes, such as radio valves and cathode ray tubes, cathodes are continually being improved upon as new applications with increased demands arise, for example in electron beam lithography, high-power and high-frequency microwave tubes, terahertz imaging and electron sources for accelerators. Written by 17 experts in the field, the book presents the latest developments in cathodes needed for these applications, discussing the state of the art and addressing future trends.

Examines both mined and synthetic diamonds and diamond films. The text offers coverage on the use of diamond as an engineering material, integrating original research on the science, technology and applications of diamond. It discusses the use of chemical vapour deposition grown diamonds in electronics, cutting tools, wear resistant coatings, thermal management, optics and acoustics, as well as in new products.

This book presents the theory of large-signal nonlinear impulse processes occurring in bipolar and field-effect transistors with a Schottky gate, collapse TRAPATT and tunnel diodes, superlattices, and double heterojunction lasers. It evaluates the maximum speed of impulse operation of these elements and experimentally constructs the generation of pulse oscillations with a repetition frequency of up to 1, 2 and 4 GHz. Original or adapted methods of mathematical modeling of processes provide an opportunity to obtain quantitative dependencies of generated pulse parameters, while the book also details the synchro-photon effect. In addition, as shown here, when a semiconductor element is switched on by an electric pulse, and at the same time a pulse of photons synchronously illuminates it, an effect occurs which increases the switching speed of the element by an order of magnitude. At the same time, the switching transient characteristic is shortened by 10 times or more. After applying this effect in pulse generators in the gigahertz frequency range, an increase in the repetition frequency of the generated oscillations is possible.

Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics