MEMS-based slow-wave sheet-beam amplifier

New micro-machining technologies are being evaluated for applicability to millimeter-wave RF devices. Sample RF circuits have been fabricated on diamond, sapphire, and SiO2-coated silicon wafers; wire patterns (1 mum thick) have been optically patterned in aluminum and molybdenum. Dispersion for such a circuit is examined as as well as electron/RF interaction. Unlike traditional means of fabricating vacuum RF devices, micro-machining technologies are expected to scale quite well beyond many of the currently used methods. As well, ribbon beam formation and technologies are evolving and will be perfectly suited to interaction with a flat, micro-machined RF structure. This paper is presented in two parts, design analysis and device fabrication. Details of the design analysis and numerical methods applied to this problem and corresponding results will be presented. This is followed by details of the micro-machining techniques, processes used, and fabrication results.