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Recent Developments on High-Power Gyrotrons—Introduction to This Special Issue

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Abstract

Gyrotrons with output powers of several 100 kW are mainly used as high-power millimeter (mm)-wave sources for electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), stability control and diagnostics of magnetically confined plasmas for generation of energy by controlled thermonuclear fusion. Other applications include ECR ion sources, materials processing and plasma chemistry, high-resolution Doppler radar, radar ranging and imaging in atmospheric and planetary science, active denial systems, as well as detection of concealed radioactive materials. The present review summarizes the status of recent developments on high-power gyrotrons and introduces this Special Issue on Gyrotrons.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank K. Felch (CPI), K. Sakamoto (JAEA) and G. Denisov (IAP) for providing useful information.

The excellent cooperation with the author’s colleagues M. Beringer, E. Borie, P. Brand, H. Braune, G. Dammertz, V. Erckmann, J. Flamm, G. Gantenbein, R. Heidinger, S. Illy, J. Jin, W. Kasparek, S. Kern, H.P. Laqua, C. Lechte, F. Leuterer, A. Meier, G. Michel, B. Piosczyk, B. Plaum, T. Rzesnicki, A. Samartsev, A. Schlaich, M. Schmid, D. Wagner and H. Zohm is gratefully acknowledged.

The author also would like to thank the technical staffs at KIT, IPF and IPP for their excellent contributions in solving numerous technological problems. He is especially indebted to the technical personnel running the gyrotron test facilities at KIT and IPP.

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  1. Institut für Hochleistungsimpuls- und Mikrowellentechnik (IHM) und Institut für Hochfrequenztechnik und Elektronik (IHE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Association Euratom – KIT, Kaiserstr. 12, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany

    Manfred K. A. Thumm

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Correspondence to Manfred K. A. Thumm.

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Thumm, M.K.A. Recent Developments on High-Power Gyrotrons—Introduction to This Special Issue. J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves 32, 241–252 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10762-010-9754-5

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