DC power supply to drive W-band gyrotron travelling wave amplifier for satellite uplink and wireless communication applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The backbone network in future telecommunication systems will move from copper and fibre to mm-wave wireless connections, allowing rapid deployment, mesh-like connectivity with fast data rates of tens of gigabits per second for future mobile applications such as cloud computing, big data, virtual reality and the Internet of Things. The main restriction in the uptake of mm-wave wireless mobile communications is the challenge in forming the mm-wave backhaul links due to the lack of high power (kilo-watt) wideband mm-wave amplifiers.
The gyro-amplifiers developed under STFC IPS Project (ST/P001890/1) offers a unique opportunity to fill a long standing gap in the generation of high power coherent millimetre wave radiation with its amplification with an unprecedented 6% instantaneous bandwidth and an unrivalled power of 3.4kW at 93 GHz. For satellite communications the gyro-TWA has the power at W-band frequencies to overcome attenuation due to rain and moisture in the atmosphere while possessing sufficient bandwidth (6%) for high data rate transmission to multiple satellites.
Building on the recent success of W. He, C. R. Donaldson, L. Zhang et al PRL 2017, 119 no. 18, p. 184801, and L. Zhang, C. R. Donaldson et al IEEE Electron Device Letters 2018, vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 1077-1080 where short pulse (sub-microsecond) 93GHz gyro-TWA operation was demonstrated the procurement of a 60kV, 1.2A DC power supply is required to enable continuous wave gyro-TWA operation which will result in a paradigm shift in what is achievable for ground based, cellular telecommunications networks and satellite communications.
The gyro-amplifiers developed under STFC IPS Project (ST/P001890/1) offers a unique opportunity to fill a long standing gap in the generation of high power coherent millimetre wave radiation with its amplification with an unprecedented 6% instantaneous bandwidth and an unrivalled power of 3.4kW at 93 GHz. For satellite communications the gyro-TWA has the power at W-band frequencies to overcome attenuation due to rain and moisture in the atmosphere while possessing sufficient bandwidth (6%) for high data rate transmission to multiple satellites.
Building on the recent success of W. He, C. R. Donaldson, L. Zhang et al PRL 2017, 119 no. 18, p. 184801, and L. Zhang, C. R. Donaldson et al IEEE Electron Device Letters 2018, vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 1077-1080 where short pulse (sub-microsecond) 93GHz gyro-TWA operation was demonstrated the procurement of a 60kV, 1.2A DC power supply is required to enable continuous wave gyro-TWA operation which will result in a paradigm shift in what is achievable for ground based, cellular telecommunications networks and satellite communications.
People |
ORCID iD |
Adrian Cross (Principal Investigator) | |
Kevin Ronald (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Donaldson C
(2022)
Fivefold Helically Corrugated Waveguide for High-Power W -Band Gyro-Devices and Pulse Compression
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Zhang L
(2021)
Updates on the Development of MW-level Ka-band Gyroklystron
Donaldson C
(2021)
Low-Loss Transmission Line for a 3.4-kW, 93-GHz Gyro-Traveling-Wave Amplifier
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Zhang L
(2021)
Potentials of Machine Learning in Vacuum Electronic Devices Demonstrated by the Design of a Magnetron Injection Gun
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Donaldson C
(2021)
8-Fold Helically Corrugated Interaction Region for High Power Gyroresonant THz Sources
in IEEE Electron Device Letters
Nix L
(2021)
Design of a 48 GHz Gyroklystron Amplifier
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Nix L
(2020)
Demonstration of efficient beam-wave interaction for a MW-level 48 GHz gyroklystron amplifier
in Physics of Plasmas
Zhang L
(2020)
Magnetron Injection Gun for High-Power Gyroklystron
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Donaldson C
(2020)
Upgrades of W-band gyro-TWA system for high PRF operation
Zhang L
(2020)
Electron Injector Based on Thermionic RF-Modulated Electron Gun for Particle Accelerator Applications
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
MacLachlan A
(2019)
Resonant Excitation of Volume and Surface Fields on Complex Electrodynamic Surfaces
in Physical Review Applied
Zhang L
(2019)
Systematic study of a corrugated waveguide as a microwave undulator.
in Journal of synchrotron radiation
Zhang L
(2019)
Coupling Structure for a High- Q Corrugated Cavity as a Microwave Undulator
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Description | The two Genvolt DC power supplies have been commissioned and passed their site acceptance tests and can be used to run the gyro-TWAs continuously as a broadband amplifier for a satellite uplink or to operate the gyro-TWa at high pulse repetition frequencies for ISAR identification of low earth orbit satellites |
Exploitation Route | The fast wave mm-wave gyrotron travelling wave amplifier (gyro-TWA) developed at the University of Strathclyde have 30 times higher power-bandwidth performance than any competing devices with an unmatched 3dB instantaneous frequency bandwidth (IFB) of 10% and is uniquely positioned to fill the "THz gap". A low duty cycle (1Hz), pulsed 4.3 kW, 38 dB gain mm-wave amplifier operated at a power of 4.3 kW with an IFB of 10 GHz (90 - 110 GHz). The mm-wave gyro-TWA was developed by Dr. Craig Donaldson, Dr. Colin Whyte and Dr. Liang Zhang and a team of researchers in the Atoms, Beams and Plasmas research Group in the Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde working in collaboration with project partners TMD Ltd. The two Genvolt modulators will be used to power the gyro-TWA for mm-wave radar system designed by Dr. Duncan Robertson of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St. Andrews. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/winners-of-space-to-innovate-competition-announced/winners-of-space-to-innovate-competition |
Description | The fast wave mm-wave gyrotron travelling wave amplifier (gyro-TWA) developed at the University of Strathclyde have 30 times higher power-bandwidth performance than any competing devices with an unmatched 3dB instantaneous frequency bandwidth (IFB) of 10% and is uniquely positioned to fill the "THz gap". A low duty cycle (1Hz), pulsed 4.3 kW, 38 dB gain mm-wave amplifier operated at a power of 4.3 kW with an IFB of 10 GHz (90 - 110 GHz). The mm-wave gyro-TWA was developed by Dr. Craig Donaldson, Dr. Colin Whyte and Dr. Liang Zhang and a team of researchers in the Atoms, Beams and Plasmas research Group in the Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde working in collaboration with project partners TMD Ltd. Two Genvolt modulators will be used to power the gyro-TWA for the mm-wave radar (originally for cloud profiling) designed by Dr. Duncan Robertson of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St. Andrews. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | Demonstration key technology for cm resolution Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging of low Earth Orbit objects |
Amount | £318,478 (GBP) |
Funding ID | DSTLX1000163704 |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2021 |
End | 10/2023 |
Description | Spherical Tokamak Energy Production plasma modelling |
Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | CMF/11441 |
Organisation | Culham Centre for Fusion Energy |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2019 |
End | 04/2023 |
Title | Data for STFC project: "DC power supply to drive W-band gyrotron travelling wave amplifier for satellite uplink and wireless telecommunication applications" |
Description | The data contains the specifications of the power supply that the vendor designed for the application. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://pureportal.strath.ac.uk/en/datasets/9001fb65-2b0f-4415-b8cb-89049665a1fc |
Description | Defence and Security Accelerator 1: High power, wideband millimetre wave source for space object identification |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The procurement and delivery of a high voltage, DC powersuply from GenVolt Ltd has ensured the previous low duty cycle (one pulse per second) hgh power 3.4kW, high ganin 37dB, broadband (10%) gyrotron travelleing wave amplifier operating at a centre frequency of 94GHz was capable of operating at high (kHz) pulse repetition frequencies |
Collaborator Contribution | The high voltage DC power supply has enable a key sub-system to be in place resulting in DASA project managers from DSTL specifying the power, frequency, gain and bandwidth of a high power amplifier to be used for a ground-based imaging of objects in low earth orbit. Strathclydes' world leading amplifier is to be used in conjunction with a ground based antenna that is being specified by a collaborating group at the University of St. Andrews with the industrial partner TMD Ltd involved in industrializing the Strathclyde amplifier. |
Impact | A strong consortium has been built with 3 partners, Strathclyde the design authority of the gryroton travelling wave amplifier, a group at School of Physics and Astronomy University of St. Andrews the design authority f the antenna and TMD Ltd the industrial partner whose job is to industrialise the system |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Demonstrating key technology for cm resolution Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging of Low Earth Objects |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Design and simulation of a W-band gyrotron travelling wave amplifier for an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar system for imaging LEO satellites |
Collaborator Contribution | Manage technical specification of broadband, high power amplifier for ISAR imaging radar system |
Impact | Project has just started and outputs are being byilt |
Start Year | 2021 |