Power distribution system for microwave process chambers

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR IRRADIATION PRODUCTS WITH MICROWAVE ENERGY, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A MICROWAVE GENERATOR, A PROCESSING CHAMBER FORMED OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING MATERIAL AND HAVING PRODUCT INPUT AND OUTPUT OPENINGS, MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE PRODUCTS THROUGH SAID CHAMBER ALONG A PATH OF TRAVEL FROM SAID INPUT TO SAID OUTPUT OPENING, AND AN ELONGATED MICROWAVE GUIDE HAVING ONE END THEREOF COUPLED TO SAID GENERATOR FOR EXCITATION THEREBY, SAID GUIDE EXTENDING ALONG AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE WALL FACING SAID PATH OF TRAVEL AND ELECTRICALLY OPENED TO SAID CHAMBER AT EACH OF A PLURALITY OF APERTURES WHICH ARE DISTRIBUTED ALONG SAID ELONGATED GUIDE AND ALONG SAID PATH OF TRAVEL AND WHICH HAVE SIZES AND SPACINGS FORMING A NON-RESONANT ARRAY, WHEREBY THE OUTPUT OF MICROWAVE ENERGY FROM SAID GENERATOR IS DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF INCREMENTS WHICH ARE INJECTED INTO SAID CHAMBER FROM SUCCESSIVE ONES OF THE APERTURES IN SAID WALL OF SAID ELONGATED GUIDE AS SAID OUTPUT OF ENERGY TRAVELS ALONG SAID GUIDE FROM SAID ONE END THEREOF.