Non-Modal Interplate Microwave Heating System and Method of Heating
Disclosed is a microwave heater and a method of heating. The microwave heater includes a non-modal interplate microwave applicator and may include a nonresonant enclosure. The non-modal interplate microwave applicator is configured to receive therein a load to be heated by microwaves radiated from the non-modal interplate microwave applicator.
1 . A microwave heating system comprising:
a non-modal interplate microwave applicator configured to receive a load to be heated by microwaves radiated from the applicator;
a microwave source connected to the non-modal interplate microwave applicator.
2 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a nonresonant enclosure, wherein the nonresonant enclosure at least partially encloses the non-modal interplate microwave applicator.
3 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-modal interplate microwave applicator comprises a closed-loop single-ended applicator or a balanced applicator.
4 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-modal interplate microwave applicator comprises an impedance matched applicator.
5 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-modal interplate microwave applicator comprises at least two applicator plates that are separated with a distance d that is less than λ/6.
6 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-modal interplate microwave applicator comprises at least two applicator plates wherein the distance between the applicator plates is variable.
7 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the non-modal interplate microwave applicator comprises at least two applicator plates, wherein the spaces between the applicator plates are at least partially filled with a dielectric material other then the load to be treated.
8 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the nonresonant enclosure comprises at least one material chosen from at least one conducting material and at least one semiconducting material.
9 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the load comprises a reaction mixture.
10 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a flow reactor
11 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a supporting structure in combination with the non-modal interplate microwave applicator for maintaining the load within the non-modal interplate microwave applicator.
12 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the supporting structure comprises at least one material chosen from a microwave transparent material and a partially microwave transparent material.
13 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the supporting structure contains one of a liquid or a gas.
14 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the supporting structure comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet.
15 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a load holder, wherein the load holder comprises at least one of a reaction vial, a bulb, a tube, a capillary structure, a thin film substrate, a glass slab, a microscope slide, a film, a tissue cassette, a micro titer plate, a micro fluidic device, a micro array, or a micro fabricated structure, or a combination thereof.
16 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a tuning device, wherein at least one property of the tuning device chosen from resistance, inductance, and capacitance can be varied.
17 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 16 further comprising a monitoring device providing a feedback signal to the tuning device.
18 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the monitoring device comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor, an infrared (IR), an x-ray device, an ultrasound device, a laser, a fluorescence measuring device, a chemo-luminescence measuring device, or a spectroscopy device, or a combination thereof.
19 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a controller to control a frequency of the microwaves.
20 . A microwave heating system in accordance with claim 19 wherein the controller comprises one of a finite state machine, or a feedback machine, or a combination thereof.
21 . A method for heating a load with microwaves, the method comprising:
forming a non-modal interplate microwave applicator shaped to define an applicator for generating an electromagnetic field therein; and
configuring the non-modal interplate microwave applicator to generate the electromagnetic field to heat a load using microwaves.
22 . A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein at least one property chosen from frequency and power of the microwaves is varied to control a reaction in the load.
23 . A method in accordance with claim 21 , further comprising:
positioning a fluid carrier carrying a fluid load between plates of a non-modal interpolate microwave applicator;
applying an electromagnetic field between the plates to the fluid; and
heating the fluid.
24 . The method of claim 22 wherein the fluid is chosen from a washing fluid, a rinsing fluid, a neutral fluid, a histochemical reagent, an immunohistochemical reagent, a hybridization reagent, a dewaxing fluid, and any combination thereof.
25 . The method of claim 24 further comprising:
monitoring a characteristic of the fluid; and
adjusting the electromagnetic field between the plates in response at least in part to the monitoring.
26 . A method of processing a biological sample on a microscope slide for histochemical, immunohistochemical, or in situ hybridization analysis comprising:
positioning the biological sample between plates of a non-modal interpolate microwave applicator;
connecting a microwave source to the non-modal interpolate microwave applicator;
applying an electromagnetic field between the plates to the biological sample on the microscope slide; and
heating the sample to perform at least one processing step.
27 . The method of claim 26 further comprising:
monitoring a characteristic of the sample; and
adjusting the electromagnetic field between the plates in response at least in part to the monitoring.
28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one processing step is a pretreatment step chosen from baking, dewaxing, target retrieval, blocking, denaturation, enzymatic digestion, and any combination thereof.
29 . The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one processing step is an incubation step chosen from histochemical incubation, immunohistochemical incubation, and in situ hybridization.