Accurate frequency measurements on gyrotrons using a ''gyro-radiometer''

Using an heterodyne system, called ''Gyro-radiometer'', accurated frequency measurements have been carried out on VARIAN 60 GHz gyrotrons. Changing the principal tuning parameters of a gyrotron, we have detected frequency variations up to 100 MHz, ∼ 40 MHz frequency jumps and smaller jumps (∼ 10 MHz) when mismatches in the transmission line were present. FWHM bandwidth of 300 KHz, parasitic frequencies and frequency drift during 100 msec pulses have also been observed. An efficient method to find a stable-, high power-, long pulse-working point of a gyrotron loaded by a transmission line, has been derived. In general, for any power value it is possible to find stable working conditions tuning the principal parameters of the tube in correspondance of a maximum of the emitted frequency