Numerical study on the formation of second virtual cathode by using different material floating zone plate inside drift tube region

Abstract

In this study, a particle-in-cell simulation was carried out on an axial vircator by using MAGIC. A second virtual cathode (VC2) was formulated by using the escaping electrons from traditional VC1 as a wall charge accumulated at the floating zone plate designed at 3.42 GHz. The material of the opaque zones was changed to copper, aluminum, and glass to form a VC2 and power enhancement. The opaque zones with aluminum and copper behave as an obstacle at the new frequency by VC2 for the propagation of the electromagnetic wave. While the opaque zones with insulating material (glass) also contributed to forming VC2 and suitable for the power enhancement by VC2 at the new frequencies. These results are useful for a real expeiment.