The research group conducts experimental and theoretical studies on advanced microwave sources -- the plasma assisted microwave oscillator Pasotron. In contrast to most microwave tubes, the Pasotron is a compact and robust device which operates without confining the magnetic field. Furthermore, in the Pasotron, the electron beam is produced by a plasma gun. The goal of our research is the understanding of the characteristics of the Pasotron in terms of beam dynamics, efficiency enhancement, and the control of the spectrum of radiation. Peak power levels up to 1.5 MW and efficiency up to approx. 50% were demonstrated in 80 usec pulses at a frequency of 1.2 GHz.

The research goals are to study the fundamental issues of control of efficiency and spectrum of radiation of the plasma assisted microwave devices.