Technology, Assembly, and Test of a W-Band Traveling Wave Tube for New 5G High-Capacity Networks

The folded waveguide (FWG) traveling wave tube (TWT) developed in the frame of the Horizon 2020 TWEETHER project for enabling a novel W-band (92-95 GHz) high capacity wireless network for 5G is presented. The FWG TWT was designed by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The technology and the results in terms of measured RF losses and beam transmission from the realized beam tester are presented. Amplification on the first TWT breadboard has been observed but with a poor multireflection pattern resulting from spurious burrs inside the FWG. It indicates, however, that the FWG technology offers great manufacturing simplification compared to conventional helix TWTs, thus enabling a low-cost device with large series production suitable for the wide market of wireless communications.