Multipactor prediction with multi-carrier signals: Experimental results and discussions on the 20-gap-crossing rule

This work analyzes the 20-gap crossing rule from a theoretical point of view. It has been found that, depending on some signal parameters, the 20-gap-crossing rule yields predictions laying between two limit cases: It may be either excessively conservative or closer to breakdown value with little (or nonexistent) margin. Such limit cases have been experimentally assessed with two test campaigns in C and Ku-bands. © 2014 European Association on Antennas and Propagation.