Waveguide system comprising a scattering device for generating a second non-fundamental wave mode from a first non-fundamental wave mode

A method, comprising:

• generating, by a waveguide system, a first electromagnetic wave having a first field intensity near an outer surface of a transmission medium;
• directing, by the waveguide system, the first electromagnetic wave to a scattering device positioned along the transmission medium;
• and
• generating, by the scattering device, a second electromagnetic wave having a second field intensity near the outer surface of the transmission medium that is different from the first field intensity of the first electromagnetic wave, wherein the second electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path.

A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system associated with a waveguide system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• generating, by the waveguide system, a first electromagnetic wave having a first field intensity near an outer surface of a transmission medium;
• directing, by the waveguide system, the first electromagnetic wave to a scattering device having one or more scattering components positioned along the transmission medium;
• and
• transmitting, by the scattering device, a second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium, wherein the second electromagnetic wave has a second field intensity near the outer surface of the transmission medium that is different from the first field intensity of the first electromagnetic wave, and wherein the second electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path.