Dielectric heating

A microwave oven uses dielectric heating to cook food.

Dielectric heating, also known as electronic heating, is the process in which a radio frequency (RF) alternating electric field, or radio wave or microwave electromagnetic radiation heats a dielectric material.

In modern application two classes of dielectric heating are in use. Radio frequency heating or high-frequency heating refers to the use of HF and VHF frequencies (3–300 MHz). Microwave heating works at the higher microwave frequencies (0.3–300 GHz). Both (mainly) work via molecular dipole rotation within the dielectric induced by an oscillating electromagnetic field; the difference is that RF/HF heating involves the antenna near field, while MW largely occurs in the far field, leading to differences in effective range, penetration, and heating uniformity.

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