Traveling wave tubes: a history of people and fates

The study of the interaction of electron beams with electromagnetic fields and of devices based on them is one of the central areas of the science of vibrations and waves. In the 20th century, Physics–Uspekhi published reviews devoted to the theory and description of new devices at that time. The theory and design of these devices and their place in the electromagnetic wave range have changed with time. Relativistic electronics has appeared. The terahertz range is being mastered. Some new facts related to the creation history of the traveling wave tube (TWT) have been discovered and are discussed in this paper. Events in the research biography of Andrei Haeff, Rudolf Kompfner, and John Pierce are described. Along with the TWT history of persons and their fates, the results of some modern TWT studies and developments for various purposes are presented..