Variable microwave phase shifter utilizing plasma electrode

Claim 1

A MICROWAVE PHASE SHIFTER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, WAVEGUIDE MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SHORTER SIDES AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED LONGER SIDES, SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS FURTHER HAVING A FLUID CONFINING A WINDOW AT EITHER END WHICH PERMITS PASSAGE OF MICROWAVES THERETHROUGH AND CONTAINING IONIZABLE FLUID OCCUPYING THE INTERIOR, SAID IONIZABLE FLUID HAVING THE PROPERTY OF PASSING MICROWAVES WHEN NOT IONIZED TO GIVEN DEGREE AND OF REFLECTING THE SAME WHEN IONIZED TO A THE GIVEN DEGREE, IONIZING ELECTRODE MEANS IN SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS, SAID ELECTRODE MEANS EXTENDING ALONG A GIVEN LENGTH OF SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS AND PROTRUDING FROM A SHORTER SIDE THEREOF A GIVEN DISTANCE, AND ENERGIZING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRODE MEANS FOR CAUSING THE SAME TO IONIZE THAT PORTION OF SAID FLUID OCCUPYING THE SPACE IN SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE MEANS AND SAID LONGER SIDES TO THE GIVEN DEGREE, SUCH IONIZATION OF SAID FLUID THEREBY SERVING TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE SIZE OF SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS, WHEREBY THE PHASE OF MICROWAVES IN SAID WAVEGUIDE MEANS IN CORRESPONDINGLY CHANGED.