High Power Microwaves, 3rd Edition

270 HIGH POWER MICROWAVES

Computer simulations and experiments indicate power levels in excess of 1GW at efciencies of

4%–5%, although simulations also point to possible efciencies well in excess of 10%.

The advantage of the MILO is its ability to operate at low impedance, so that high power can be

achieved at relatively low voltage, particularly in large systems with anode and cathode radii that are

close in value (

a

and

b

in the geometric factor

G

of Equation 7.34). MILOs thus couple effectively

to low-impedance pulsed power drivers such as waterlines or explosive ux compression genera-

tors. Clark and coworkers at Sandia National Laborator ...