Development of simulation tools for numerical investigation and computer-aided design (CAD) of gyrotrons

Abstract

As the most powerful CW sources of coherent radiation in the sub-terahertz to terahertz frequency range the gyrotrons have demonstrated a remarkable potential for numerous novel and prospective applications in the fundamental physical research and the technologies. Among them are powerful gyrotrons for electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and current drive (ECCD) of magnetically confined plasma in various reactors for controlled thermonuclear fusion (e.g., tokamaks and most notably ITER), high-frequency gyrotrons for sub-terahertz spectroscopy (for example NMR-DNP, XDMR, study of the hyperfine structure of positronium, etc.), gyrotrons for thermal processing and so on. Modelling and simulation are indispensable tools for numerical studies, computer-aided design (CAD) and optimization of such sophisticated vacuum tubes (fast-wave devices) operating on a physical principle known as electron cyclotron resonance maser (ECRM) instability. During the recent years, our research team has been involved in the development of physical models and problem-oriented software packages for numerical analysis and CAD of different gyrotrons in the framework of a broad international collaboration. In this paper we present the current status of our simulation tools (GYROSIM and GYREOSS packages) and illustrate their functionality by results of numerical experiments carried out recently. Finally, we provide an outlook on the envisaged further development of the computer codes and the computational modules belonging to these packages and specialized to different subsystems of the gyrotrons.