Waveguides direct the flow of waves, such as sound or electromagnetic waves. The type of wave determines the waveguide’s geometry and factors like signal loss and power determine which waveguide is best for a specific task. Waveguides reflect waves off their walls and ideally propagate in a zigzag pattern. They have been used for centuries and are used in various applications, from transmitting data via light waves to measuring acoustic and optical properties.
A waveguide is an object that directs the flow of any type of wave. Some of the most basic types include wires or hollow tubes that can guide sound waves. Often, waveguides are used to transfer electromagnetic waves between locations, typically using a hollow, electrically conductive metal tube. Waveguides are commonly used to transfer power or communication signals. Each type of wave requires a different type of riding.
The type of wave being driven determines the geometry of the waveguide. The width of the guide must, in most cases, be of the same order of magnitude as the length of the waves it will guide. This means that an optical fiber that guides high frequency light waves will not be effective in guiding low frequency sound waves. Other factors, such as how much signal loss or power is acceptable, also help determine the best waveguide for a specific task.
Electromagnetic waves in space normally radiate in all directions from their point of origin. This causes the radiation to lose power in proportion to the square of its distance from that point of origin. A waveguide allows radiation to propagate in only one dimension under ideal circumstances, preventing it from losing power as it propagates.
Waveguides work by reflecting the wave off the walls of the guide. Ideally, the waves will propagate in a zigzag pattern within the waveguide. This means that a waveguide often performs best when it has a circular or square cross section.
There are many different types of waveguides, from optical fibers that allow data to be transmitted via light waves to the Sound Frequency and Ranging (SOFAR) channel, a layer of water in the ocean that serves as a natural waveguide for the song of the whales. Radar systems use waveguides to direct radio waves to an antenna so they can be transmitted at the correct impedance. Scientific instruments also use waveguides to measure the acoustic and optical properties of various objects.
Waveguides have been around for centuries, long before anyone figured out how they work. The first waveguide designed for sound waves was proposed by JJ Thomson, a British physicist, in 1893, and tested by another physicist, OJ Lodge, the following year. Work continued throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with scientists investigating the use of optical fibers as waveguides for visible light into the 1919s.
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