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Wiktionary
waveguide

n. A structure which guides waves, such as electromagnetic waves, light, or sound waves. vb. To act as a #Noun for

WordNet
waveguide

n. a hollow metal conductor that provides a path to guide microwaves; used in radar [syn: wave guide]

Wikipedia
Waveguide

A waveguide is a structure that guides waves, such as electromagnetic waves or sound waves. They enable a signal to propagate with minimal loss of energy by restricting expansion to one dimension or two. This is a similar effect to waves of water constrained within a canal, or why guns have barrels that restrict hot gas expansion to maximize energy transfer to their bullets. Without the physical constraint of a waveguide, signals will typically be radiated and decreased according to the inverse square law as they expand into three dimensional space.

There are different types of waveguides for each type of wave. The original and most common meaning is a hollow conductive metal pipe used to carry high frequency radio waves, particularly microwaves.

The geometry of a waveguide reflects its function. Slab waveguides confine energy to travel only in one dimension, fiber or channel waveguides for two dimensions. The frequency of the transmitted wave also dictates the shape of a waveguide: an optical fiber guiding high- frequency light will not guide microwaves of a much lower frequency. As a rule of thumb, the width of a waveguide needs to be of the same order of magnitude as the wavelength of the guided wave.

Some naturally occurring structures can also act as waveguides. The SOFAR channel layer in the ocean can guide the sound of whale song across enormous distances.

Waveguide (electromagnetism)

thumb|upright=1.7|Collection of standard waveguide components.

In electromagnetics and communications engineering, the term waveguide may refer to any linear structure that conveys electromagnetic waves between its endpoints. However, the original and most common meaning is a hollow metal pipe used to carry radio waves. This type of waveguide is used as a transmission line mostly at microwave frequencies, for such purposes as connecting microwave transmitters and receivers to their antennas, in equipment such as microwave ovens, radar sets, satellite communications, and microwave radio links.

A dielectric waveguide employs a solid dielectric rod rather than a hollow pipe. An optical fibre is a dielectric guide designed to work at optical frequencies. Transmission lines such as microstrip, coplanar waveguide, stripline or coaxial cable may also be considered to be waveguides.

The electromagnetic waves in a (metal-pipe) waveguide may be imagined as travelling down the guide in a zig-zag path, being repeatedly reflected between opposite walls of the guide. For the particular case of rectangular waveguide, it is possible to base an exact analysis on this view. Propagation in a dielectric waveguide may be viewed in the same way, with the waves confined to the dielectric by total internal reflection at its surface. Some structures, such as non-radiative dielectric waveguides and the Goubau line, use both metal walls and dielectric surfaces to confine the wave.

Waveguide (optics)

An optical waveguide is a physical structure that guides electromagnetic waves in the optical spectrum. Common types of optical waveguides include optical fiber and rectangular waveguides.

Optical waveguides are used as components in integrated optical circuits or as the transmission medium in local and long haul optical communication systems.

Optical waveguides can be classified according to their geometry (planar, strip, or fiber waveguides), mode structure ( single-mode, multi-mode), refractive index distribution (step or gradient index) and material ( glass, polymer, semiconductor).

Waveguide (acoustics)
This page is about waveguides for acoustics and sound, for other types of waveguide, see Waveguide

An acoustic waveguide is a physical structure for guiding sound waves.

Usage examples of "waveguide".

When the light was at the precise wavelength and all of the light waves were in perfect alignment, the lens allowed the light to escape out the front to the argon-filled waveguide, which channeled the laser energy to the deformable mirror in the nose turret.

On the screen, a waveguide graph showing frequency modulation had been added beside the image of each drone.

At every turn, their headlights picked out bewildering collections of every spare part imaginable: crated interrupters, gravitron compensators, wave shunts, dynamos, telsa coils, amplifiers, generators, multipliers, Drive oscillators, resonance waveguides, Deighton modulators, the billion and one items necessary to maintain a sizable fleet aloft and in fighting trim.

The waveguide was constructed from wire salvaged from an old TV set and built following the directions in the Radio Amateur's Handbook.

But Brim and Ursis both noted a great deal of coincident work being done on the KA'PPA-tower insulation-and complete reisolation of the Vertical's waveguide system.

Truculent, now stationed at the Admiralty in Avalon-had contrived to alter her N(112-B) Power Chambers at the time the waveguides were being reoriented, but Ursis vociferously denied any such Sodeskayan conspiracy.

Only a third of the station's outline was filled with detailed depictions of bulkheads and decks, conduits and waveguides, tur-bolift shafts and structural support beams.

Only a third of the station's outline was filled with detailed depictions of bulkheads and decks, conduits and waveguides, tur­bolift shafts and structural support beams.

He'd then launched into something about subatomic forces and field waveguides that had lost her completely.

The crystals were inserted in the hose, the celluloid poured over them and the whole thing was seated in a magnetic waveguide while the celluloid was cooling.