Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between about one meter and one millimeter and frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. They are used extensively in modern technology for point-to-point communication lines, wireless communications, and microwave ovens.
As with all radiation, microwaves can cause certain health effects in people who are exposed over long periods of time. One example is cataracts, which are caused by the dielectric heating induced in the lens and cornea of the eye. This type of radiation can also damage the nervous system, causing depression, headaches, and loss of coordination.
In contrast to far infrared (FIR) and terahertz radiation, which penetrate the atmosphere at all frequencies up to around 100 GHz, the atmospheric absorption of microwaves is very strong, so that it effectively limits microwave transmission to a few kilometers or less. In addition, the absorption peaks at specific frequencies.
High-power microwave sources require specialized vacuum tube devices such as the klystron, magnetron, or traveling wave tube (TWT). These operate on different principles from low-frequency vacuum tubes that use ballistic electrons in a vacuum under controllable electric and magnetic fields to generate and amplify radio frequency waves.
Solid-state technology has produced several devices that produce, amplify, and detect microwaves. These include the Gunn diode, tunnel diode, cavity magnetron, and maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). A microwave oven’s copper-colored horn antenna is fitted with a grey assembly, called a “Gunn diode” or “tunnel diode,” that generates microwaves.