Experimental investigation of a high-power microwave generator and advanced concept resonators

• Grant number: 09/00579-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2009 - September 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Electrical, Magnetic and Electronic Measurements, Instrumentation
• Principal Investigator: Pedro José de Castro
• Grantee: Pedro José de Castro
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The research will be conducted basically in three different directions which converge to coherent electromagnetic radiation and gravitation wave detection. The first direction refers to the continuity of the monotron development, which after preliminary tests, now the emphasis is to produce pulsed microwaves up to 5 ms pulse and 10kW peak power at 6.7 GHz, aiming to apply it as a pre-ionization system for ETE/INPE Tokamak. In another branch, dielectric resonators have been produced from Brazilian raw material and technology, in collaboration between the Associated Plasma Laboratory and the Associated Laboratory of Sensors and Materials. The resonator dielectric project presently involves a scientific training and a doctoral student. Such devices can be applied to telecommunications circuits, probably in satellites which are being constructed at INPE. In the third direction, superconducting niobium cylindrical reentrant cavities are being investigated regarding their applications as parametric transducers in the Mario Schenberg gravitation wave detector, in a collaboration between the Astrophysics Division and the Associated Plasma Laboratory. As an introduction to metamaterials, a device has already constructed and it is being tested. Once the present research project is approved by FAPESP, a new approach in the experimental investigation will take place concerning the phase in microwave measurements both in transmission and reflection modes - a very important fact for electromagnetic resonator and dielectric materials characterization. Moreover, because of its inherent resolution, a vector network analyzer makes it possible to measure a very high Q factor. (AU)