About Us

Microwave Power Products (MPP) has an extensive portfolio of several thousand products that is comprised of a wide range of vacuum electron devices (VEDs).  MPP's products are used to:

• generate or amplify (multiply) various forms of electromagnetic energy (these products are generally referred to as VEDs, electron devices, solid-state devices or simply as devices);
• transmit, direct, measure and control electromagnetic energy;
• provide the voltages and currents to power and control devices that generate electromagnetic energy; or
• provide some combination of the above functions.

VEDs were initially developed for defense applications but their use has been extended to many commercial markets. MPP uses tailored variations of this key technology to address the various frequency and power requirements in MPP's target markets.  MPP's VED products derive from, or are enhancements to, the original VED technology on which the company was founded. Most of MPP's other products were natural offshoots of the original VED technology and were developed in response to the opportunities and requirements in the market for more fully integrated products and services. The type of device selected for a specific application is based on the operating parameters required by the system.

MPP sells several categories of VEDs, including:

• Klystrons and gyrotrons : Klystrons are typically high-power VEDs that operate over a narrow range of frequencies, with power output ranges from hundreds of watts to megawatts and frequencies from 500 kilohertz (KHz) to over 30 GHz. MPP produces and manufactures klystrons for a variety of radar, communications, medical, industrial and scientific applications. Gyrotron oscillators and amplifiers operate at very high power and extremely high frequencies. Power output of one megawatt has been achieved at frequencies greater than 100 GHz. These devices are used in areas such as fusion research, electronic warfare and high-resolution radar.
• Helix traveling wave tubes: Helix traveling wave tubes are VEDs that operate over a wide range of frequencies at moderate output power levels (tens of watts to thousands of watts). These devices are ideal for terrestrial and satellite communications and electronic warfare applications.
• Coupled cavity traveling wave tubes: Coupled cavity traveling wave tubes are VEDs that combine some of the power generating capability of a cavity amplifier with some of the increased bandwidth (wider frequency range) properties of a traveling wave amplifier. These are medium bandwidth, high-power devices, with power output levels that can be as high as one megawatt. These devices are used primarily for high-power and multi-function radars, including frontline radar systems.
• Magnetrons: Magnetron oscillators are VEDs capable of generating high-power output at high efficiency and relatively low cost. Magnetrons generate power levels as high as 20 megawatts and cover frequencies up to the 40 GHz range.  MPP supplies magnetrons for use in industrial applications, including industrial heating, cooking, material processing and cargo screening applications. Other potential uses for magnetrons include medical linear accelerators.
• Power grid devices:  Power grid devices are lower frequency electron devices that are used to generate, amplify and control electromagnetic energy. These devices are used in commercial and military communications systems and radio and television broadcasting. MPP also supplies power grid devices for the shortwave broadcast market and for MRI and other applications for the medical market. MPP’s products are also widely used in equipment that serves the industrial markets, such as textile drying, pipe welding and semiconductor wafer fabrication.