High-power microwave attenuator employing slow wave structure

Using present pulsed microwave amplifier, we can obtain RF peak power beyond one hundred MW. However, it is not easy to test such a high-power RF. To overcome this difficulty we developed a high-power microwave attenuator employing a slow wave structure. For example, the output power of RF pulse compressor for present electron linear accelerator reaches a few hundreds MW RF power, but the existing dummy loads can absorb only a few tens MW of RF power. The attenuator we developed has a kind of periodic structure and is made of metal only. We operated this attenuator using a high-power RF source, and found that it could be operated fewer than 50 pps RF output at 40 MW, 2.5μs or 100 MW, 0.5μs. -- Highlights: ► The hundred MW class high-power microwave attenuator was developed. ► The attenuator consists of the periodic structure. ► It is fully made of austenite stainless steel. ► We have applied an advanced design method of the periodic structure.