A dielectric constant estimation device which can estimate a dielectric constant of an object with high accuracy in a non-contact state even when a shape of the object is indefinite, and a microwave heating device equipped with the dielectric constant estimation device. The dielectric constant estimation device includes a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna which can switch a polarized wave of an electromagnetic wave between a TE wave and a TM wave. Based on a reflected wave of the TE wave and a reflected wave of the TM wave from the object, the dielectric constant estimation device calculates a TM/TE reflection ratio, and compares the calculated TM/TE reflection ratio and dielectric constant data of theoretical values stored in a memory part in advance in the form of database with each other so that a dielectric constant of the object is estimated.

A fast annealing equipment is applicable to the annealing treatment of silicon carbide wafers. The fast annealing equipment comprises a variable frequency microwave power source system, a resonant chamber heating system and a measurement and control system. The variable frequency microwave power source system uses a solid state power amplifier and has the flexibility of fast frequency sweep during heat treatment to compensate for resonant frequency changes due to load effect caused by temperature changes in a material to be annealed. In order to improve an energy efficiency and provide a sufficient microwave energy uniform area, the TM.sub.010 resonant chamber structure can be used to anneal 4-inch to 8-inch silicon carbide wafers. The measurement and control system combines software and hardware to form an automatic system with instant feedback to provide further flexibility, stability and reliability for the entire equipment.

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components to heat the food product, and a context awareness engine. The context awareness engine may include processing circuitry configured to receive RF signature data (including measurements of at least forward power and reflected power) associated with provision of RF energy into the cooking chamber, and to correlate an RF signature with a phenomenon observed with respect to the food product to define a signature profile for the phenomenon observed.

A method and system for generating voltage and/or current oscillations in a single magnetic layer is provided. The method comprises applying a direct voltage/current to the layer in a longitudinal direction; and developing a longitudinal voltage between a pair of longitudinal voltage leads and/or a transverse voltage between a pair of transverse voltage leads. The magnetic layer comprises a ferrimagnetic or antiferrimagnetic material having a first and second magnetic sub-lattice, wherein the first sub-lattice is a dominant sub-lattice such that the charge carriers at the Fermi energy originate predominantly from the dominant sub-lattice and the charge carriers at the Fermi energy are spin polarised. In some embodiments, the dominant current carrying sub-lattice may lack inversion symmetry.

The present invention provides an apparatus for heating an aerosolisable material to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user. The apparatus comprises a housing containing a first section for receiving an aerosolisable material and a heating arrangement comprising at least one patch antenna for generating a microwave signal for heating the aerosolisable material to generate an aerosol.

Provided is a device for microwave hyperthermia that may attach a flexible patch on the skin of a user based on a cross-section of a body tissue of the user, for example, a joint and muscle of a leg and an arm and may emit microwaves towards a plurality of points of the body tissue through the patch. The microwaves emitted toward the body tissue may have the same phase and maximum power. Accordingly, a maximum heat generation point may be generated in an area adjacent to the plurality of points. The device for microwave hyperthermia may move the maximum heat generation point by sequentially changing a phase and a direction of each of the microwaves. The device for microwave hyperthermia may uniformly distribute and maintain heat for treating pain and/or infection over the entire cross-section or a partial area. The device for microwave hyperthermia may be portable.

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, in which a flying oil is heated, disinfected and/or pasteurized, sterilized. The present invention further relates to a method to treat a flying oil with radio-frequency wave.

An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which popcorn is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for popping the popcorn. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a popping state of the popcorn based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the popping state.

The present invention relates to a method for thermally activating a functional layer of a coating material, preferably an edge material, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing the coating material; feeding the coating material to a device for thermally activating a functional layer of the coating material; and thermally activating the functional layer of the coating material, wherein the thermal activation of the functional layer of the coating material occurs by microwaves which are generated by at least one semiconductor wave generator. The present invention also relates to a device for thermally activating a functional layer of a coating material.

A microwave heating apparatus includes a cavity arranged to receive a load. At least one microwave generator is configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity. At least one image-capturing device and a control unit is adapted to obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information, determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information and control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity.