3-D Particle-in-cell Modeling of the Plasma-assisted Sub-THz Backward-wave Oscillator

This paper is aimed at the modeling of the millimeter-band backward-wave oscillator (BWO) driven by a self-focused pseudospark-sourced (PS) sheet electron beam. Previously, we developed and experimentally tested a PS-based hollow-cathode electron source for high-power millimeter-band generation, and designed an integrated high-frequency structure for a W-band BWO with grating-type slow wave structure (SWS). In this paper, we present the results of particle-in-cell (PIC) modeling of plasma focusing of a high-current-density electron beam in a SWS, which allows for beam transmission with effective beam-wave interaction as well as study of a collimator between plasma cathode electron (PCE) gun and the SWS. For the simulations of beam focusing, we use the 3D CST Particle Studio simulator. For development of PCE gun collimator 2D PIC simulation software OOPIC Pro was used.