Measurements of the Breakdown Threshold for Coaxial Multipactor and the Delay for Multipactor Onset

Multipactor discharges can disrupt and damage satellite communications systems. This paper presents results for a 3.05-GHz coaxial multipactor test cell. The breakdown threshold has been measured and compared to previous CST Particle Studio simulations. Multipactor self-conditioning has been shown to increase the breakdown threshold and cause most of the experimental data to approach the simulation result to within approximately 10% at 4–6 kW power levels. Additional experiments for measuring and analyzing the delay for the onset of multipactor are discussed.