As far as i know, these are the most widely used PIC (particle in cell) codes out there.
Does anyone have any experience with these codes for as to simulate vacuum tubes and relative stuff? How do they handle particle tracking and self fields of charged particles in particular.
Rather than bother with any of these user-unfriendly codes, you're probably better off to wait a few more months and try out the next release of CST Particle Studio. If I understand correctly, it will include a PIC solver.
I have tried both CST PS 2008 and MAGIC!
MAGIC very user-unfriendly compared to CST but it's have so more features!
I think CST 2008 is not still good for simulating a vacuum tube!
haven't you ever used any of them for simulating vacuum tubes?
the example that cst PS 2008 has for the klystron cell is somewhat childish, but informative.
i have not yet tried a full tube simulation, let's say of a klystron, that would include pic simulation of the electron gun, RF signal injection and RF signal extraction out of the cavity. if i ever get in the mood for something like that, i might try and post something here
slow wave structures might as well be interesting to be simulated with PS...