While microwaves use electromagnetic radiation to heat food by exciting water molecules, there isn't a direct equivalent device that can rapidly cool things in the same way. The reasons for this are primarily based on the physics of heat transfer.
Cooling involves the removal of heat energy from an object, which typically occurs through conduction, convection, or radiation. While there are devices like refrigerators and freezers that can cool items over time, they function differently from microwaves.
Refrigeration systems, such as those found in refrigerators and air conditioners, work by using a refrigerant to absorb heat from the contents of the system and expel it to the environment. This process takes time because it involves transferring heat from a region of lower temperature (inside the refrigerator) to a region of higher temperature (outside the refrigerator).
In contrast, the rapid heating of food in a microwave is achieved by directly targeting the water molecules and exciting them, which causes heat to be generated within the food. Achieving the opposite effect, rapid cooling, would require a different mechanism altogether.
One approach to rapid cooling is cryogenic cooling, which involves using extremely low temperatures. Cryogenic cooling methods, such as liquid nitrogen or other cryogenic gases, can cool objects rapidly. However, these methods are generally not practical or safe for everyday use and are typically used in specialized industrial or scientific applications.
In summary, the physics of heat transfer and the mechanisms involved in heating and cooling are different, which is why there isn't a direct opposite device to the microwave for rapid cooling.