Experimental Investigation of a Hybrid Gyrodevice Operating as an Amplifier and Oscillator

This article reports the experimental realization of a K-band hybrid gyrodevice capable of dynamically switching between amplifier and oscillator mode. The mode switching is achieved by adjusting the electron beam voltage/current, magnetic field, and pitch factor. When optimized for amplification, the device achieves <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\gt$</tex-math> </inline-formula>11% relative bandwidth under both pulsed and continuous-wave (CW) regimes. In pulsed amplification mode, it delivers >209-kW output power across 19–21 GHz using a 60-kV and 16-A electron beam, while sustaining 15.3-kW CW output at 48 kV and 3.0 A. Significantly, the interaction parameters were reconfigured to demonstrate oscillator functionality, generating 282 kW of pulsed power at 18.83 GHz (61 kV and 14 A). These results validate the device’s multifunctional flexibility, demonstrating a high-power microwave source with engineered, switchable amplification and oscillation capabilities. Such devices address critical needs in radar, communications, and plasma heating systems requiring adaptable power generation.