Miniature traveling wave deflection for electron beam analog to digital conversion

Analog to digital conversion using miniature electron optical structures has been previously reported and shown to offer an extraordinary combination of speed and resolution (6 bits at 100 GHz sampling). This is best achieved using multiple beams. One disadvantage of that proposed system was the high-voltage required (50 V). We can reduce this value by using traveling wave deflection. But the classical square meander configuration is dispersive for all beams except the on axis one. We describe a triangular meander deflection electrode with geometry determined by the speed ratio between the beam and the slowed wave; the deflector is non-dispersive for all parallel beams, even if they are misaligned with the plates main axis. This structure reduces the required voltage to 10 V and simulations show it works at least up to 15 GHz for a single beam.