Effects of Waveguide Dispersion on High-Power Microwave Signals

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of waveguide dispersion on high-power microwave (HPM) signals carried from the extraction ports of the HPM source to the radiating system in Although HPM sources are designed to be monochromatic, they do in practice possess a narrow band of frequencies, typically 1 or 2 percent of the center frequency. The waveguide runs from the extraction port of the source to the feed horn can be several meters long. We have investigated the effects of the waveguide dispersion on HPM signals, assuming a dominant mode of propagation. It is found that for the parameters (frequency and pulse durations) considered, the pulse broadening is negligible, if the waveguide lengths are kept under 100m. This is practically feasible, hence group dispersion effects are negligible.