magnetron
a two-element vacuum tube in which the flow of electrons is under the influence of an external magnetic field, used to generate extremely short radio waves.
Origin of magnetron
1Words Nearby magnetron
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for magnetron
/ (ˈmæɡnɪˌtrɒn) /
an electronic valve with two coaxial electrodes used with an applied magnetic field to generate high-power microwave oscillations, esp for use in radar
Origin of magnetron
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for magnetron
[ măg′nĭ-trŏn′ ]
An electron tube that produces coherent microwave radiation. Magnetrons are diodes in which the electrons traveling to the anode are set in spiraling paths by a magnetic field created by permanent magnets. The circular component of the electrons' motion causes microwave-frequency oscillations in the voltage induced in resonating cavities built into the anode, which is connected to an antenna that emits the microwaves. Magnetrons are used in radar and in microwave ovens.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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