Microwave ovens are everywhere, and at the heart of them is a magnetron — a device that creates microwaves. [DiodeGoneWild] tore one apart to show us what was inside and how it works.

The post-war period saw a proliferation in magnetron applications, beginning with the invention of the microwave oven in 1946 and continuing today with base stations for LTE and 5G networks.

The cavity magnetron uses physical cavities and a magnetic field to create microwave energy. The frequency is determined by the size and shape of the cavities. While the cavity magnetron had ...