Abstract
This study analyzes the characteristics of a gyrotron backward-wave oscillator (gyro-BWO) with a longitudinally tapered coaxial-waveguide by using a single-mode, self-consistent nonlinear code. Simulation results indicate that although tapering the inner wall or the outer wall can significantly raise the start-oscillation current, the former is more suitable for mode selection than the latter because an increase of the start-oscillation current by a tapered inner wall heavily depends on the chosen C value (i.e., the average ratio of the outer radius to the inner radius over the axial waveguide length). Selective suppression of the competing mode by tapering the inner wall is numerically demonstrated. Moreover, efficiency of the coaxial gyro-BWO is increased by tapering the outer wall. Properly down-tapering the outer wall ensures that the coaxial gyro-BWO can reach a maximum efficiency over twice that with a uniform one. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.