Slow-Wave Characteristics of a Frame–Rod Structure Based on Micro-Fabricated Technology for THz Vacuum Electron Devices

A simple equivalent circuit analysis of the frame–rod slow-wave structure (SWS) on dielectric substrates of a traveling-wave tube (TWT) is developed, using the quasi-TEM approximation approach for the dispersion and coupling impedance characteristics of the structure. Moreover, the obtained complex dispersion equation and coupling impedance are numerically calculated. The calculation results by our theory method agree well with the results obtained by the 3D EM simulation software HFSS. It is shown that the dispersion of the frame–rod circuit is decreased; the phase velocity is reduced and the bandwidth becomes greater, while the coupling impedance decreases after filling the dielectric materials in the frame–rod SWS. In addition, a comparison of slow-wave characteristics of this structure with a rectangular helix counterpart is made. As a planar slow-wave structure, this structure has potential applications in compact TWTs based on the micro-fabrication technology, which could be scaled to millimeter wave, even to THz frequency.