Waveguide

A structure that confines and directs electromagnetic waves along a path. Its boundaries or refractive-index profile restrict how waves propagate and which modes they can carry.

Electromagnetic mode: A permitted spatial pattern of electromagnetic fields that propagates in a waveguide or resonator. Each mode is a distinct field pattern the guide can support.
Rectangular waveguide: A hollow conductive tube with a rectangular cross-section that guides microwave-frequency electromagnetic waves. It is the standard hollow-guide geometry for many microwave systems.
Waveguide filter: A frequency-selective microwave component that uses resonant structures in a waveguide to pass or reject signals. Its resonances select signal bands while handling high microwave power.
Transmission line: A system of conductors or dielectric structures that carries guided electromagnetic energy between locations. Waveguides are one form of guided transmission, alongside lines such as coaxial cable.
Cutoff frequency: The threshold frequency below which a mode cannot propagate through a waveguide. It determines which frequencies pass through a guide in each mode.
Circular waveguide: A hollow conductive tube with a circular cross-section that guides electromagnetic waves. Its rotational symmetry creates mode patterns distinct from rectangular guides.
Waveguide antenna: An antenna that uses a waveguide to feed or radiate electromagnetic energy. Guides deliver power to apertures and horns with controlled field distributions.
Resonant cavity: A structure that confines electromagnetic fields in space at discrete resonant frequencies. A cavity stores standing fields; a waveguide is designed to carry energy along a path.
Total internal reflection: The complete reflection of light at an interface when it travels from a higher to a lower refractive index above the critical angle. It confines light in many dielectric guides.
Optical fiber: A flexible dielectric strand that guides light through a higher-index core surrounded by lower-index cladding. It is the dominant waveguide form for long-distance optical transmission.

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