Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy (JMPEE)
TITLE	A Review of Variable Frequency Microwave Technology in Material Processing [PDF]
AUTHORS	C. Antonio, R. Deam and A. Taube 2003 38 1 75-87
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Abstract The Variable Frequency Microwave (VFM) processing technology is an emerging technique that foregoes many of the inherent problems obtained in fixed-frequency microwave processing. By sweeping through a bandwidth of frequencies, a time-averaged uniformity is obtained which can eliminate heating non-uniformities as well as catastrophic thermal excursions sometimes experienced in conventional microwave technology. Primarily aimed at processing advanced materials, advantages include uniform heating, arc-free processing, a higher degree of controllability, higher coupling efficiency and the ability to choose “specific” frequency or frequency bands suitable for particular applications. The review within provides an overview of the theory behind the technique as well as an outline of the advances regarding this method in both the academic and industrial stage. Current and future applications using this emerging technology as well as numerical modeling are also discussed.