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Dielectric-supported helix in a metal shell

a
B. N. BASU
a
Department of Physics , Regional Institute of Technology , Jamshedpur, 831014, India
Published online: 25 Apr 2007.

To cite this article: B. N. BASU (1979) Dielectric-supported helix in a metal shell, International Journal of Electronics, 47:3,
311-314, DOI: 10.1080/00207217908938647
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207217908938647

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 Ic;T .1. ELECTRONICS, Hlin, VOL. 47, NO. a, :31 1-:314

Equivalent circuit analysis of a dielectric-supported helix

in a metal shell

B.N.BASU
Department of Physics, Regional Institute of Technology,
Jamshedpur 831014, Tudia.

The equivalent circuit analysis for a helix in free space has been extended to
include the effects of the surrounding dielectric and the metal shield, aud an
Downloaded by [The University of Manchester Library] at 06:33 23 January 2015

expression for the dielectric loading factor derived, The result agrees with that of
field analysis, and is more accurate than is obtainable by a previous method of
combining the equivalent circuit parameters for simpler helix configurations. The
present method, unlike a field analysis, does not involve any lengthy algebraic
manipulation to work out a detenninantal dispersion relation.

1. Introduction
Pa.ik (ln6\J), following the result of a field analysis by Loshakov and Ol'derogge
(In6S), suggested that one can treat a very commonly used slow-wave structure for
high power TWTs that consists of a helix supported by a num bel' of wedge-shaped
dielectric bars in a metal shell (configuration 1) as a helix surrounded by a continuous
dielectric tube in a metal shell (configuration II), the permittivity of the dielectric
being properly interpreted. Paik (W6\J) analysed coufiguration 11 rather ap-
proximately by combining together the results for two simpler' configurations: (i) a
helix surrounded by a dielectric touching the helix and extending up to infinity and
(ii) a helix in free space enclosed in a metal shell. This simple approach, while it is
reasonably correct for larger shield radii, leads to some error for shields close to the
helix. Recently, Basu (1 07S) included the effeet of metal shield in the field analysis of
Swift-Hook (1fl5S), and estimated this error in Paik's approach for smaller shield
radii. The field analysis, however, yields a complex determinantal dispersion relation
which becomes simplified only after lengthy algebraic manipulation. In the present
note, an equivalent circuit analysis for configuration n has bcen developed which
gives essentially the same result as that obtained by field analysis, but involves no
lengthy manipulation.

2. Helical sheath in free space

The method of analysis presented in this note closely follows the equivalent
circuit analysis for a helix in free space given in Rowe (1065) where the expressions
for inductanoe per unit length L o and capacitance pel" unit length Go have been
derived as

(I )

(2)

Hcceived 18 ,January 1979; accepted 21 May 1!J7!l.

002U-721ifi!I/~70:1 0311 SON)/} IOiH Taylor & rl'lltld~ Ltd

 I ;~12 B. N. 13l/8/1.

stnrt.ing from the following expressions for the azimuthal and the axial electric fields
oa
at the sheath helix radius r=n, E and E: a , respectively: ' ,

a= - [e~~o }laKI}oa
fiJo

fiJ: a = [(L)2TCW80
I OaK oaJ1 za (4)

where fJ'is the axial propagation constant, y the radial propagation constant; '" is the
helix pitch angle; I n,( = I n(yr)) and I(n,( =Kn(yr)) are the modified Bessel functions of
order /I. of the first and the second kind respectively; 1 0'a and I: a represent the
Downloaded by [The University of Manchester Library] at 06:33 23 January 2015

azimuthal and the axial helix currents respectively.

3. Helix with a dielectric surrounding in a metal enclosure

The field expressions for configuration II, subject to the boundary condition
liJ:b = BOb = oat the shield radius r =b, for non-azimuthally varying modes (a/ao=o),
arc:

E~=A 110r (5)

fiJ~=A2(/o,- ~~b 1(0,) (6)

1I~=131/0' (7)

1I~=132 ( 10, + -lib- 1(0, ) (8)

I( Ib

gi _ _ .iW/lo B I
:.'0 - Y 1 lr (9)

00
/<'0= ---13 lib
.iW/lo ( II,---K ) (10)
2 I,
Y K lb

. .iW80
IIO=--AI/ I , (I I)
Y
W808'A
lI o=.i
o 2
(I lr + K
lOb I( lr ) (12)
y Ob

H ere, the su perscri pts i and 0 represent the quantities inside (0 < r < a) and outside
(n< r < Ii) the helix respectively. 8, represents the relative permittivity of the
dielectric. The slow-wave assum ption (Swift-Hook 1958) has also been followed. The
constants A I and A 2 may be obtained from the boundary eonditions (Rowe i 965):

tt: _lJi = l: a
and Oa Oa 2nQ,
 Diclectric-8npported helix in (I, metul shell

using (II), (12), (5) and (6). Similarly the constant 13 1 and 13 2 are obtained, using
(7)-(10), from two more boundary conditions

HI _Ho = lea
and za ZQ 2nn

Using the constants obtained by the above procedure E Da , obtainable from either (ll)
(10), and B za , obtainable from either (5) or (6). may be expressed as
01'

=_[(jW/10(l-XL)), J'
Downloaded by [The University of Manchester Library] at 06:33 23 January 2015

E K
~Oa 21l'. 10 1a 9a

where

XC=-,--
OaKOb
J
K Oa' Ob
Comparing (1 B) and (\4) with (B) and (4) respectively, it immediately follows that the
effects of the surrounding dielectric and the metal shield enclosure are to change the
permeability from /10 to

/10( \ - xIJ
and the permittivity from eo to

eO(l-Xcl-I(1 + (e,-I)yaJoaK1a(1 + i aK Ob
la' Ob
))

Incorporating t.hcse changes, (I) and (2) are modified as

(15)

C = Co(l-xcl -1(1 +(e,-I)ya Oa"la

J 1,'- ( J laKOb))
1+--,--
1\ la'Ob
( IH)

where Land C represent the inductance per unit length and the capacitance per unit
length respectively of configuration n. (15) and (16) may also be applicable for
configuration 1, interpreting, however, e, as the effective relative permittivity B,
(Paik 1969), determined by the support parameters as follows (Loshakov and
Ol'derogge 1968):
,pN
o'=I+-(e
r 2 r
-I) (17),
 :1I4 Dielectric-step-ported. helix in a 'metal shell

where N is the number of dielectric wedge supports symmetrically arranged around

the helix and ,p the angle'M each wedge. By substituting eqns. (15)-(17), into the
transmission line equa.tion .

the dispersion relation for configuration r follows as

'12
W(J!oeo) cot "']2 =foaKo.
--D
2
[ Y fl.K I
where
Downloaded by [The University of Manchester Library] at 06:33 23 January 2015

D=[(I + ,pN I2
(0,- )yafO.K 1.(1 + flaK lb)) (I-xcl- I(I- XIJ]-1/2
K taflb
(18)

is thc dielectric loading factor for configuration 1. This expression (18) is exactly the
same tis that obtained by field-analysing configuration II, and using the effective
rcla.tive permittivity given by (17) (Basu 1978). .
In this note a simple equivalent circuit analysis has been developed which
involves, unlike a field analysis, no lengthy algebraic manipulation' to work 'out any
determ inantul dis persion relation.

Acknowledgments
Thc a.ut.hor wishes to thank Dr. S. S. S. Agarwala, Central Electronics
Engineering Rese.tIeh Institute, Pilani for suggesting the problem and guidance, and
Dr. A. G. Mirajgaoku.r and Dr. L. Kishore for their interest. '. .

References
BASU, 13, N., Ill78, Symposium on Electron Devices, Central Electronics Engineering
Rcseareh Institute, Pilani, 21-2:3 September.
LOSH,'KOV, L, N, . and OL'DEROGGE, E. 13., lllfi8, Radio Enflnfl Electron. I>hys., 13,45.
PAIK, S. F., Hlfill, I.E.E.g 'l'rans. Electron Devices, 16, 1010.
HOWE,.J. E., 19H5, Nonlinear Electron-Wave Interaction Phenomena (New York: Academic
Press), p. H4.
SWIFT-HOOK, D. '1'., 1!J58, Proc: 1,"". elect, electron. Enqrs, 105,747.