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Cavity Magnetron

A cut-away line drawing of a magnetron. Magnetron's uses electrons to generate microwaves. Their frequency is determined by the cavities dimensions.

Collection of the Secrets of the Radar Museum.

The cavity magnetron revolutionized radar technology. It produced very small radio wavelengths (as little as 2.3 cm). The smaller wavelengths let engineers make smaller dishes, improve the range, and improve the image quality.