Magnetron priming by multiple cathodes.

A relativistic magnetron priming technique using multiple cathodes is simulated with a three-dimensional, fully electromagnetic, particle-in-cell code. This technique is based on electron emission from N/2 individual cathodes in an N-cavity magnetron to prime the π mode. In the case of the six-cavity relativistic magnetron, π-mode start-oscillation times are reduced up to a factor of 4, and mode competition is suppressed. Most significantly, the highest microwave field power is observed by utilizing three cathodes compared to other recently explored priming techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]