Nathan Marcuvitz
Encyclopedia
Nathan Marcuvitz was an American electrical engineer, physicist, and educator who worked in the fields of microwave and electromagnetic theory.
Electromagnetic waves achieved practical fruition in the development of microwave
technology and the creation of the microwave industry, with applications to radar, communications, electronic warfare, industrial and consumer electronics, and so on. Rapid progress in the development of the microwave field was made possible by the availability of accurate network descriptions of the various complicated structures employed in microwave systems. The central figure in this crucial period of the development of such network descriptions was Dr. Nathan Marcuvitz.
The crucial period in the development of the microwave field occurred during World War II, when the magnetron furnished a reliable source of electromagnetic waves and made radar
feasible, but progress was initially slow because designs had employed empirical and cut-and-try procedures. What was needed were quantitative methods for characterizing the geometric structures involved and phrasing those methods in network terms. Marcuvitz headed the experimental group at the M.I.T. Radiation Laboratory
, which was responsible for developing an accurate measurement set-up and a new measurement procedure for determining with great precision the network parameters of geometric discontinuities.
He also worked closely with the physicists and mathematicians responsible for the theoretical part of the systematic program, and showed them how to cast their solutions in engineering terms. As a result, the theoretical analyses were phrased in the network terms required for design, and the analytical results were compared with measurements under Marcuvitz’ direction. Since Marcuvitz played the key role in coordinating the theoretical and experimental phases, he was asked to be the author of the Waveguide Handbook (1951), which became vol. 10 of the M.I.T. Radiation Laboratory Series.
Dr. Marcuvitz is best known as an extremely able microwave field theorist, rather than an experimentalist. This transition from experimentalist to theorist was made easier because of his close association with Julian Schwinger
, who some years later received a Nobel Prize
for work on quantum electrodynamics
. Soon after his arrival in Cambridge, MA, Marcuvitz, together with Robert Marshak
, who later became President of the City College of New York
, rented a house near Harvard Square. Some of the rooms were rented to others who worked at the Radiation Laboratory, and Schwinger was one of those people. This arrangement lasted for only a year, but Marcuvitz and Schwinger became good friends.
It was well known that Schwinger worked during the night and slept all day. Marcuvitz would wake him up at 7:30 P.M., and they would go to dinner. After that they would often discuss their research problems until midnight, after which Marcuvitz would go home to bed and Schwinger would begin his work.
"The key coordinating role played by Marcuvitz culminated in his classic book that he called the Waveguide Handbook, which had enormous impact on the newly developing microwave field. The Waveguide Handbook is the most important and most widely used single book in the history of the microwave field. The book not only contained the largest collection of theoretical expressions for waveguide discontinuities available anywhere, and in this respect it is still unsurpassed, but in its first three chapters, before any results for specific structures are presented, it describes, in a masterful summary, how these waveguide discontinuities can be represented rigorously in network form, how they can be measured accurately, and how they can be analyzed theoretically. This compendium volume would have been an important basic contribution at any time, but it emerged at a crucial time in the unfolding of the microwave field, and it therefore exerted a monumental impact on the field with respect to both theoretical understanding and practical design capabilities."
Dr. Marcuvitz has also made many other significant contributions to electromagnetic waves. These include an explanation of the nature of leaky waves and how to calculate them, a new derivation for small aperture and small obstacle expressions, radial and spherical transmission line
theories, new results for propagation through periodic structures, and so on. Some of these studies have been compiled into a comprehensive book, Radiation and Scattering of Waves (1973), coauthored with his former student, L. B. Felsen.
Most of the research projects were conducted under the aegis of the Microwave Research Institute (MRI). This institute became widely regarded internationally as the foremost research organization in the world in microwave field theory. For many years, it attracted post-doctoral researchers from around the world to spend a year or more, coming from such countries as Japan, France, U.S.S.R., Israel, Italy, England, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, and Finland. Many of those researchers have since become famous in their own right. MRI was also well known for its series of annual symposia on topics in the forefront of the electronics field, and for the symposium proceedings volumes, 24 in all, that accompanied them.
Not only did MRI produce much important research in microwave field theory, but it also trained a whole generation of microwave engineers. The journal, MicroWaves, in an interview with many microwave engineers in 1968, asked them various questions, including from what school they received their microwave education. One of the article’s conclusions was that more microwave engineers graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic than from any other school, and that the second was M.I.T., with only half as many microwave graduates.
Radiation and Scattering of Waves, 1973 (with L. Felsen)
Also numerous papers and articles.
IEEE Fellow, Heinrich Hertz Medal (Gold Medal and Monetary Award, IEEE highest
recognition for electromagnetic waves), (He was the first recipient, 1989)
Microwave Career Award from the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society
in 1985
Guest, Soviet Academy of Sciences, 1971
Honorary Doctorate, Politecnico di Torino, 1993
Honorary Doctorate, Polytechnic University, 2000
Am. Physical Society, Sigma Xi
, Tau Beta Pi
, Eta Kappa Nu
M.E.E., Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1941
D.E.E., Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1947
Laurea Honoris Causa, Politecnico Di Torino, 1993
Doctor in Engineering (hon.), Polytechnic University, 2000
Research Associate. Radiation Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute Technology, 1941-46
Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1946–49, assoiate professor, 1949–51, professor, 1951-65
Director Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn (Microwave Research Institute), 1957-61
Vice President Research, Acting Dean Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn (Graduate Center), 1961–63, Professor Electrophysics, 1961–66, Dean Research, Dean, 1964-65
Assistant Director Defense Research and Engineering Department Defense, Washington, 1963-64
Professor Applied Physics New York University, 1966-73
Visiting Professor Harvard University, spring 1971
Professor Electrophysics Polytechnic Institute New York, 1973—, professor emeritus, 1978—
Biography
"Dr. Nathan Marcuvitz stands out clearly as the leading figure in the field of electromagnetic waves for the period of at least two decades following World War II. He was widely viewed by his colleagues as the premier electromagnetics scholar of his generation."Electromagnetic waves achieved practical fruition in the development of microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
technology and the creation of the microwave industry, with applications to radar, communications, electronic warfare, industrial and consumer electronics, and so on. Rapid progress in the development of the microwave field was made possible by the availability of accurate network descriptions of the various complicated structures employed in microwave systems. The central figure in this crucial period of the development of such network descriptions was Dr. Nathan Marcuvitz.
The crucial period in the development of the microwave field occurred during World War II, when the magnetron furnished a reliable source of electromagnetic waves and made radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
feasible, but progress was initially slow because designs had employed empirical and cut-and-try procedures. What was needed were quantitative methods for characterizing the geometric structures involved and phrasing those methods in network terms. Marcuvitz headed the experimental group at the M.I.T. Radiation Laboratory
Radiation Laboratory
The Radiation Laboratory, commonly called the Rad Lab, was located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts and functioned from October 1940 until December 31, 1945...
, which was responsible for developing an accurate measurement set-up and a new measurement procedure for determining with great precision the network parameters of geometric discontinuities.
He also worked closely with the physicists and mathematicians responsible for the theoretical part of the systematic program, and showed them how to cast their solutions in engineering terms. As a result, the theoretical analyses were phrased in the network terms required for design, and the analytical results were compared with measurements under Marcuvitz’ direction. Since Marcuvitz played the key role in coordinating the theoretical and experimental phases, he was asked to be the author of the Waveguide Handbook (1951), which became vol. 10 of the M.I.T. Radiation Laboratory Series.
Dr. Marcuvitz is best known as an extremely able microwave field theorist, rather than an experimentalist. This transition from experimentalist to theorist was made easier because of his close association with Julian Schwinger
Julian Schwinger
Julian Seymour Schwinger was an American theoretical physicist. He is best known for his work on the theory of quantum electrodynamics, in particular for developing a relativistically invariant perturbation theory, and for renormalizing QED to one loop order.Schwinger is recognized as one of the...
, who some years later received a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for work on quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics is the relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. In essence, it describes how light and matter interact and is the first theory where full agreement between quantum mechanics and special relativity is achieved...
. Soon after his arrival in Cambridge, MA, Marcuvitz, together with Robert Marshak
Robert Marshak
Robert Eugene Marshak was an American physicist dedicated to learning, research, and education.-History:...
, who later became President of the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, rented a house near Harvard Square. Some of the rooms were rented to others who worked at the Radiation Laboratory, and Schwinger was one of those people. This arrangement lasted for only a year, but Marcuvitz and Schwinger became good friends.
It was well known that Schwinger worked during the night and slept all day. Marcuvitz would wake him up at 7:30 P.M., and they would go to dinner. After that they would often discuss their research problems until midnight, after which Marcuvitz would go home to bed and Schwinger would begin his work.
"The key coordinating role played by Marcuvitz culminated in his classic book that he called the Waveguide Handbook, which had enormous impact on the newly developing microwave field. The Waveguide Handbook is the most important and most widely used single book in the history of the microwave field. The book not only contained the largest collection of theoretical expressions for waveguide discontinuities available anywhere, and in this respect it is still unsurpassed, but in its first three chapters, before any results for specific structures are presented, it describes, in a masterful summary, how these waveguide discontinuities can be represented rigorously in network form, how they can be measured accurately, and how they can be analyzed theoretically. This compendium volume would have been an important basic contribution at any time, but it emerged at a crucial time in the unfolding of the microwave field, and it therefore exerted a monumental impact on the field with respect to both theoretical understanding and practical design capabilities."
Dr. Marcuvitz has also made many other significant contributions to electromagnetic waves. These include an explanation of the nature of leaky waves and how to calculate them, a new derivation for small aperture and small obstacle expressions, radial and spherical transmission line
Transmission line
In communications and electronic engineering, a transmission line is a specialized cable designed to carry alternating current of radio frequency, that is, currents with a frequency high enough that its wave nature must be taken into account...
theories, new results for propagation through periodic structures, and so on. Some of these studies have been compiled into a comprehensive book, Radiation and Scattering of Waves (1973), coauthored with his former student, L. B. Felsen.
Most of the research projects were conducted under the aegis of the Microwave Research Institute (MRI). This institute became widely regarded internationally as the foremost research organization in the world in microwave field theory. For many years, it attracted post-doctoral researchers from around the world to spend a year or more, coming from such countries as Japan, France, U.S.S.R., Israel, Italy, England, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, and Finland. Many of those researchers have since become famous in their own right. MRI was also well known for its series of annual symposia on topics in the forefront of the electronics field, and for the symposium proceedings volumes, 24 in all, that accompanied them.
Not only did MRI produce much important research in microwave field theory, but it also trained a whole generation of microwave engineers. The journal, MicroWaves, in an interview with many microwave engineers in 1968, asked them various questions, including from what school they received their microwave education. One of the article’s conclusions was that more microwave engineers graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic than from any other school, and that the second was M.I.T., with only half as many microwave graduates.
Published works
Waveguide Handbook, Vol. 10, 1951,Radiation and Scattering of Waves, 1973 (with L. Felsen)
Also numerous papers and articles.
Selected Honors and Awards
Member, National Academy of Engineering, 1978IEEE Fellow, Heinrich Hertz Medal (Gold Medal and Monetary Award, IEEE highest
recognition for electromagnetic waves), (He was the first recipient, 1989)
Microwave Career Award from the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society
IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society
The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society is the largest technical profession society for the promotion of the theory and applications of RF, microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies. The MTT-S has over 10,000 worldwide professional members in academia, industry and...
in 1985
Guest, Soviet Academy of Sciences, 1971
Honorary Doctorate, Politecnico di Torino, 1993
Honorary Doctorate, Polytechnic University, 2000
Am. Physical Society, Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
, Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
, Eta Kappa Nu
Eta Kappa Nu
Eta Kappa Nu is the electrical and computer engineering honor society of the IEEE, founded in October 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The organization currently has around 200 student chapters and about 3,000,000 members and is headquartered in Chicago,...
Education
B.E.E., Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1935M.E.E., Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1941
D.E.E., Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1947
Laurea Honoris Causa, Politecnico Di Torino, 1993
Doctor in Engineering (hon.), Polytechnic University, 2000
Career
Engineer RCA Laboratories, 1936-40Research Associate. Radiation Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute Technology, 1941-46
Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, 1946–49, assoiate professor, 1949–51, professor, 1951-65
Director Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn (Microwave Research Institute), 1957-61
Vice President Research, Acting Dean Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn (Graduate Center), 1961–63, Professor Electrophysics, 1961–66, Dean Research, Dean, 1964-65
Assistant Director Defense Research and Engineering Department Defense, Washington, 1963-64
Professor Applied Physics New York University, 1966-73
Visiting Professor Harvard University, spring 1971
Professor Electrophysics Polytechnic Institute New York, 1973—, professor emeritus, 1978—