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. The journal Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk (Physics-Uspekhi) published in the 20th century 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 considered in the paper. Events in the creative methods 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.

Keywords: traveling wave tubes, Haeff, Kompfner, Pierce, history PACS: 01.65.+g, 84.40.Fe (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2019.12.038707 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2020/5/e/ 000555764100005 2-s2.0-85090265314 2020PhyU...63..503T Citation: Trubetskov D I, Vdovina G M "Traveling wave tubes: a history of people and fates" Phys. Usp. 63 503–515 (2020) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Received: 6th, March 2019, revised: 30th, October 2019, accepted: 25th, December 2019 Оригинал: Трубецков Д И, Вдовина Г М «Лампа с бегущей волной (история в лицах и судьбах)» УФН 190 543–556 (2020); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2019.12.038707