Enhanced-efficiency, narrow-band gigawatt microwave output of the reditron oscillator

The authors describe experiments which confirm theoretical predictions of higher efficiency, narrower bandwidth microwave output of the reditron oscillator over simple vircator high-power microwave devices. They have produced 1.6 GW of microwave power at 2.46 GHZ. The conversion efficiency from beam power to microwave power was 5.5 to 6%, exceeding the usual 1 to 3% efficiency obtained with conventional vircators. The 1% bandwidth was about a factor of 10 less than the usual value for virtual cathode oscillators. The authors present computer calculations of the experiment that are in reasonable agreement with the experimental findings