ICEPIC Simulations of Microwave Power Increase from 2.45 GHz Magnetron

Standard operation of a conventional microwave oven 2.45 GHz “cooker” magnetron with 4.0-4.3 kV of pulsed applied voltages at 0.17-0.19 T magnetic fields results in generation of pulsed microwave power 1.8-2.8 kW, which is recalculated to an average microwave power 0.9-1.9 kW when the “cooker” magnetron operates with 50% duty cycle while driven by a “rectified” a.c. voltage from the wall-plug. It has been shown in many experimental studies of “cold-start” operation of a standard 10-vane double-strapped 2.45 GHz “cooker” that it readily sustains, when properly conditioned, up to ~10 kV d.c. and up to ~14 kV of peak-to-peak a.c. applied voltage with just a few μA cold (field emission) leakage (anode) current. The latter suggests that a standard 2.45 GHz “cooker” magnetron may successfully operate in the desired, lowest mode with much more output microwave power at even higher magnetic fields when driven by up to 10 kV of d.c. or quasi-d. c. appropriate, syn-chronous applied voltage. Results of ICEPIC simulations of magnetron operation at different magnetic fields with appropriate, synchronous applied voltages show that, for example, with 8.0 kV applied voltage at 0.35 T magnetic field, the “cooker” magnetron is able to generate up to 6.0 kW of output microwave power with anode current ~0.9 A.