RF characterization and testing of ridge waveguide transitions for RF power couplers

RF characterization of rectangular to ridge waveguide transitions for RF power couplers has been carried out by connecting them back to back. Rectangular waveguide to N type adapters are first calibrated by TRL method and then used for RF measurements. Detailed information is obtained about their RF behavior by measurements and full wave simulations. It is shown that the two transitions can be characterized and tuned for required return loss at design frequency of 352.2 MHz. This opens the possibility of testing and conditioning two transitions together on a test bench. Finally, a RF coupler based on these transitions is coupled to an accelerator cavity. The power coupler is successfully tested up to 200 kW, 352.2 MHz with 0.2% duty cycle.