Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy (JMPEE)
TITLE	Slow Wave Couplers for Microwave Dielectric Heating Systems [PDF]
AUTHORS	D.A. Dunn 1967 2 1 7-20
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Abstract Microwave heating of lossy dielectric material in sheet form can be effectively accomplished with slow-wave transmission line couplers with a planar configuration. The attenuation per unit length in a traveling-wave system of this type partially filled with dielectric is a measure of the heating produced and can be expressed in terms of an interaction impedance that is characteristic of a given slow-wave structure. This interaction impedance is proportional to the ratio of phase velocity to group velocity which is increased by local reflections and standing waves in the structure. An analogous effect can be obtained by resonating the structure as a whole with reflections at the ends of the structure. A comparison of resonant and traveling-wave couplers is given for an idealized structure, the developed sheath helix, which can be analyzed exactly.