Electrical engineering

Physics

Traveling-wave tube

Bandwidth (computing)

Extremely high frequency

Wireless

Vacuum tube

Terahertz radiation

Millimeter

Optics

Engineering

Amplifier

Power (physics)

Materials science

Computer science

Quantum mechanics

Optoelectronics

Wavelength

Telecommunications

Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications

Traveling wave tubes are rapidly evolving to provide unprecedented power level in comparison to solid state devices in the millimeter waves region of the spectrum (80–300 GHz) thus enabling a wide range of applications.Wireless communications, imaging, plasma diagnostics, healthcare and many others will gain substantial features if high power at millimeter waves would be available from compact sources.The development of fabrication technologies is proving crucial for introducing new topologies and structures for millimeter wave vacuum electronic devices, compatible with the dimensions dictated by the short wavelength that poses substantial manufacturing challenges due to tight tolerances.This review paper will provide an overview of the principles, evolution and state of the art of one of the most widely utilized vacuum electronic device, the traveling wave tube (TWT). The wide band, high gain features of TWTs make those devices the most promising solutions for high power at millimeter waves and THz frequencies.

Millimeter wave traveling wave tubes for the 21st Century