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magnetron The electrical component of a radar unit that produces the high-intensity pulse of microwave radiation transmitted from the antenna. It has two terminals, plus and minus. One terminal is a hollow cylindrical block of copper with cylindrical cavities in its wall, which is situated between the poles of a strong permanent magnet. When a square-wave direct-current pulse is applied to the terminals, it breaks into rapid oscillations for the duration of the pulse, the frequency of which is governed by the dimensions of the device. It is the only device capable of producing high-powered electrical oscillations at microwave frequencies. The device was invented independently in England and Japan in 1939. The design was crucial to the practical implementation of microwave radar, which took place in the United States shortly after that. Pioneering work on the development and implementation of radar at other frequencies was ongoing in England during this period.

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