Design of coaxial and waveguide couplers for helix TWT

In this paper, two types of coaxial coupler and waveguide coupler for different frequency helix traveling wave tubes (TWTs) are designed, fabricated and cold tested. The coaxial coupler includes of window ceramic and RF transformer section. At present multi-section impedance transformer design approach is used for wideband helix TWTs. In any helix TWT, impedance of the source is transformed to the characteristic impedance of helix. This is done by the quarter-wavelength (λ/4) impedance transformation approach. The simulated results of different types of couplers are carried out by HFSS and CST microwave studio software and compare with experimental results. Three-dimensional electromagnetic field simulators allowing the any geometry with port excitations it is possible to model the complex coaxial and waveguide type couplers with helix SWS assembly and predict its desired return loss performances.