RF Waveguide Components

RF waveguide components are circular, elliptical or rectangular metal tubes or pipes through which electromagnetic waves are propagated in microwave and RF communications. The wave passing through the medium is forced to follow the path determined by the physical structure of the guide. RF waveguide components may, under certain conditions, contain a solid or gaseous dielectric material.  They can also be implemented on the surface of a printed circuit board, as is the case for coplanar waveguides. Typically, RF waveguide components are made from aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, or silver. They vary in terms of both operating frequency and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), a unitless measurement from one to infinity that expresses the amount of energy at the input or output of the device. The Electronic Industry Alliance (EIA) approves sizes for RF waveguide components.