What is the RF (Radio Frequency) Microwave Energy?

RF Microwave Energy is another name for radio waves. It is a form of electromagnetic energy that makes up the electromagnetic spectrum. Some of the other forms of energy in the electromagnetic spectrum are gamma rays, x-rays and light. The Electromagnetic waves longer (at lower frequency) than microwaves are called "Radio Waves".

Electromagnetic Energy (or Electromagnetic Radiation) consists of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving together (radiating) through free space. The area where these waves are found is called an electromagnetic field. The wavelengths ranging from 1 mm to 1 m, or frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz.

The term microwave generally refers to "AC (alternating current) signals with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. Both IEC standard 60050 and IEEE standard 100 define "microwave" frequencies starting at 1 GHz (30 cm wavelength).

The electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelengths may be defined as "millimeter waves", terahertz radiation or even T-rays. Definitions differ for millimeter wave band, which the IEEE defines as 110 GHz to 300 GHz.

At lower frequency, the radio waves are produced by the movement of electrical charges (electrons & protons) in antennas. As they are produced, these waves radiate away from the antenna. All electromagnetic waves propagate at the speed of light. The major differences between the different types of waves are the distances covered by one cycle of the wave and the number of waves that pass a certain point during a set time period.

The wavelength is the distance covered by one cycle of a wave. The frequency is the number of waves passing a given point in one second. For any electromagnetic wave, the wavelength multiplied by the frequency equals the speed of light. The frequency of an RF signal is usually expressed in units called hertz (Hz). One Hz equals one wave per second. One kilohertz (kHz) equals one thousand waves per second, one megahertz (MHz) equals one million waves per second, and one gigahertz (GHz) equals one billion waves per second.

RF energy includes waves with frequencies ranging from about 3000 waves per second (3 kHz) to 300 billion waves per second (300 GHz). Microwaves are a subset of radio waves that have frequencies ranging from around 300 million waves per second (300 MHz) to three billion waves per second (3 GHz).

The RF Microwave range includes ultra-high frequency (UHF) (0.3–3 GHz), super high frequency (SHF) (3–30 GHz), and extremely high frequency (EHF) (30–300 GHz) signals.
Above 300 GHz, the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by Earth's atmosphere is so great that it is effectively opaque, until the atmosphere becomes transparent again in the so-called infrared and optical window frequency ranges.