Advanced Multipactor Testing With Enhanced Power Efficiency for Space Applications

The multipactor (MP) effect is a discharge phenomenon that occurs in high-power microwave devices onboard spacecraft, and it can cause the breakdown of the transmission path. MP is also a serious problem in fields of great technological importance and its characterization is a key aspect in high-power radio frequency (RF)/microwave systems. This article introduces an advanced methodology for detecting MP, utilizing a novel testbed with loaded transmission lines. This method has the potential to significantly improve power efficiency in testing facilities, allowing for higher power levels in launching experiments. The results have shown an average gain of approximately 4.5 dB, both in continuous wave (CW) and pulsed operation. Compared to other traditional power enhancing setups, the novel testbed is both much less expensive and simpler to manufacture and operate, with the ability of working in large bandwidths and, also, under variable environmental conditions. This article includes the design of the testbed as well as the 3-D modeling of the device under test (DUT) with its rigorous experimental characterization. The simulated results of MP, based on the experimental secondary electron emission yield (SEY) of the microwave device, demonstrate good agreement with the MP threshold.