Conversion of the energy of a high-current REB into electromagnetic wave energy

Results are presented from a theoretical investigation and quantitative ana lysis of the physical processes that govern the efficiency of a coaxial dev ice aimed at converting the energy of a relativistic electron beam into the energy of a TEM wave (a wave in a circular cylindrical coaxial waveguide). The key diffractional problem is solved exactly using a simplified theoret ical model, which makes it possible to understand the mechanisms for the fo rmation of a TEM wave and determine how the beam parameters and the design parameters of the converter affect the relative fractions of the kinetic en ergy of a relativistic electron beam and the energy of its own magnetic and electric fields that are transferred into the energy of the TEM wave field . The results obtained are analyzed quantitatively, and prospects for furth er theoretical and experimental research in this area are outlined. (C) 200 0 MAIK "Nauka/lnterperiodica".