WR-22 E-Plane Bend
The WR-22 E-Plane Bend is a precision-engineered waveguide component that redirects millimeter-wave signals by 90 degrees in the narrow wall (E-field) plane. It is specifically designed for the 33 - 50 GHz frequency range, serving as a critical building block in Q-Band infrastructure.
E-plane bends curve along the shorter dimension of the rectangular waveguide cross-section, providing vertical signal routing while maintaining phase integrity. WR-22 operates in the Q-Band (33-50 GHz), sitting right above the Ka-band. Its 0.224" x 0.112" aperture requires precise CNC machining, as surface roughness begins to significantly impact insertion loss at these frequencies.
Key Features
E-Plane Geometry
Bend follows the narrow wall (shorter dimension) of the waveguide, routing signals vertically while maintaining the broad-wall dimension.
Low Insertion Loss
Optimized bend radius and CNC-machined interior walls ensure minimal signal degradation through the 90-degree turn.
Precision CNC Machined
Each bend is machined from a solid billet of OFHC copper, maintaining tight dimensional tolerances throughout the bend radius.
Gold-Plated Construction
Gold plating provides excellent conductivity, corrosion resistance, and consistent electrical performance over the component's service life.
Q-Band Use Cases
Radio Astronomy
Molecular cloud mapping
Q-Band Satcom
Next-gen broadband links
Military Data
High-capacity secure comms
Test Equipment
Vector network analysis
More E-Plane Bends
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an E-plane and H-plane bend?+
An E-plane bend curves the waveguide along its narrow wall (shorter dimension), shifting the electric field vertically. An H-plane bend curves along the broad wall (wider dimension), shifting the magnetic field horizontally.
What are the main applications for WR-22 Q-Band components?+
WR-22 is heavily utilized in advanced satellite communications (V-band/Q-band uplinks) to escape the congested Ka-band. It is also a critical band for radio astronomy, specifically for mapping complex molecules in deep space.
How does surface roughness affect WR-22?+
At 50 GHz, the skin depth of copper is incredibly thin (less than 0.3 micrometers). If the interior machining marks of the WR-22 component are larger than the skin depth, the RF current is forced to travel up and down the microscopic ridges, exponentially increasing resistive heating and insertion loss.