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The Microwave Domain: Microwave Engineering Pertains To The Study and Design of

Microwave engineering pertains to the study and design of microwave circuits, components, and systems using principles of electromagnetic theory. It involves analysis and design techniques for components operating at microwave frequencies (1-300 GHz), where circuit theory breaks down and transmission line effects become important. Some applications of microwave engineering include radar, antennas, transmission lines, and space-based systems.

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33 views

The Microwave Domain: Microwave Engineering Pertains To The Study and Design of

Microwave engineering pertains to the study and design of microwave circuits, components, and systems using principles of electromagnetic theory. It involves analysis and design techniques for components operating at microwave frequencies (1-300 GHz), where circuit theory breaks down and transmission line effects become important. Some applications of microwave engineering include radar, antennas, transmission lines, and space-based systems.

Uploaded by

Pradip Ambore
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Microwave engineering pertains to the study and design of microwave circuits,

components, and systems. Fundamental principles are applied to analysis, design and
measurement techniques in this field. The short wavelengths involved distinguish this
discipline from Electronic engineering. This is because there are different interactions with
circuits, transmissions and propagation characteristics at microwave frequencies.
Some theories and devices that pertain to this field are antennas, radar, transmission lines,
space based systems (remote sensing), measurements, microwave radiation hazards and
safety measures.
During World War II microwave engineering played a significant role in developing radar
that could accurately locate enemy ships and planes with a focused beam of EM radiation.
The foundations of this discipline are found in Maxwell's equations and the work of Heinrich
Hertz, William Thomson's waveguide theory, J.C. Bose, the klystron from Russel and
Varian Bross, as well as contributions from Perry Spencer, and others.[1

The microwave domain[edit]


Microwave is a term used to identify electromagnetic waves above 103 megahertz (1
Gigahertz) up to 300 Gigahertz because of the short physical wavelengths of these
frequencies. Short wavelength energy offers distinct advantages in many applications. For
instance, sufficient directivity can be obtained using relatively small antennas and low-
power transmitters. These characteristics are ideal for use in both military and civilian radar
and communication applications. Small antennas and other small components are made
possible by microwave frequency applications. The size advantage can be considered as
part of a solution to problems of space, or weight, or both. Microwave frequency usage is
significant for the design of shipboard radar because it makes possible the detection of
smaller targets. Microwave frequencies present special problems in transmission,
generation, and circuit design that are not encountered at lower frequencies.
Conventional circuit theory is based on voltages and currents while microwave theory is
based on electromagnetic fields.[2]
Apparatus and techniques may be described qualitatively as "microwave" when the
wavelengths of signals are roughly the same as the dimensions of the equipment, so
that lumped-element circuit theory is inaccurate. As a consequence, practical microwave
technique tends to move away from the discrete resistors, capacitors, and inductors used
with lower frequency radio waves. Instead, distributed circuit elements and transmission-line
theory are more useful methods for design and analysis. Open-wire and
coaxial transmission lines give way to waveguides and stripline, and lumped-element tuned
circuits are replaced by cavity resonators or resonant lines. Effects
of reflection, polarization, scattering, diffraction and atmospheric absorption usually
associated with visible light are of practical significance in the study of
microwave propagation. The same equations of electromagnetic theory apply at all
frequencies.[1][3]

Relevance[edit]
The microwave engineering discipline has become relevant as the microwave domain
moves into the commercial sector, and no longer only applicable to 20th and 21st
century military technologies. Inexpensive components and digital communications in the
microwave domain have opened up areas pertinent to this discipline. Some of these areas
are radar, satellite, wireless radio, optical communication, faster computer circuits, and
collision avoidance radar.[4]
Education[edit]
Colleges and universities offer microwave engineering.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst provides research and educational programs in
microwave remote sensing, antenna design and communications systems. Courses and
project work are offered leading toward graduate degrees. Specialties include microwave
and RF integrated circuit design, antenna engineering, computational electromagnetics,
radiowave propagation, radar and remote sensing systems, image processing, and THz
imaging.[5][6]
Tufts University offers a Microwave and Wireless Engineering certificate program as part of
its graduate studies programs. It can be applied toward a master's degree in electrical
engineering. The student must have an appropriate bachelor's degree to enroll in this
program.[4]
Auburn University offers research for the microwave arena. Wireless Engineering Research
and Education Center is one of three research centers. The university also offers a
Bachelor of Wireless Engineering degree with a Wireless Electrical Engineering major.[7][8][9]
Bradley University offers an undergraduate and a graduate degree in its Microwave and
Wireless Engineering Program. It has an Advanced Microwave Laboratory, a Wireless
Communication Laboratory and other facilities related to research.[10]
Societies[edit]
There are professional societies pertinent to this discipline:
The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) "promotes the advancement
of microwave theory and its applications...". The society also publishes peer reviewed
journals, and one magazine.[11]
Journals and other scholarly periodicals[edit]
There are peer reviewed journals and other scholarly periodicals that cover topics that
pertains to microwave engineering. Some of these are IEEE Transactions on Microwave
Theory and Techniques, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, Microwave
Magazine,[12] IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation,[13] and Microwave Journal.[14]

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