ABSTRACT Method of Lines and Finite Element Analysis investigations have been performed to optimize parameters in a TE011 mode cavity resonator suitable for a spaceborne hydrogen maser. We report on designs that were explored to find a global maximum in the important design parameters for the microwave cavity used in a hydrogen maser. The criteria sought in this exercise were both the minimization of the total volume of the cavity and the maximization of the product of the z-component of the magnetic energy filling factor and the cavity TE011 mode Q-factor (Q·η). Different configurations were studied. They were a sapphire tube in a copper cylinder, a sapphire tube in a copper cylinder with Bragg reflectors, and spherical copper cavities both empty and sapphire-lined on the inside cavity surface.
At 320 K, the simulations resulted in an optimum product Q·η = 4.9× 104, with an inner cavity radius of 80 mm and unity aspect ratio. This represents a 54% improvement over an earlier design. The expected increase in the product Q·η with the inclusion of Bragg reflectors to the sapphire tube was not achieved. Moreover, the z-component of the magnetic energy filling factor was greatly reduced due to an increase in the radial magnetic field.
The sapphire-lined spherical cavity showed no better performance than an equivalent-sized empty copper spherical cavity. For the empty cavity the simulations resulted in the product Q·η = 4.4× 104. The empty spherical cavity resonator is not suitable for the spaceborne hydrogen maser as the total volume in this case is 33% larger than that of the optimized sapphire tube resonator.
© 2005, by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. All rights reserved.