A printing system comprising: a microwave dryer that applies microwave radiation to a planar substrate traveling through a waveguide of the microwave dryer in a process direction; and a choke assembly downstream of the microwave dryer, the choke assembly comprising: a first choke plate; a second choke plate that is positioned a distance away from the first choke plate, resulting in a gap between the first choke plate and the second choke plate for receiving the planar substrate; a first layer disposed at a surface of the upper choke plate, the first layer comprising: a material that attenuates microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and a substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation,wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the first layer and the gap; and a second layer disposed at a surface of the second choke plate that faces the first layer, the second layer comprising: the material that attenuates the microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and the substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation, wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the second layer and the gap. a microwave dryer that applies microwave radiation to a planar substrate traveling through a waveguide of the microwave dryer in a process direction; and a choke assembly downstream of the microwave dryer, the choke assembly comprising: a first choke plate; a second choke plate that is positioned a distance away from the first choke plate, resulting in a gap between the first choke plate and the second choke plate for receiving the planar substrate; a first layer disposed at a surface of the upper choke plate, the first layer comprising: a material that attenuates microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and a substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation,wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the first layer and the gap; and a second layer disposed at a surface of the second choke plate that faces the first layer, the second layer comprising: the material that attenuates the microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and the substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation, wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the second layer and the gap. a first choke plate; a second choke plate that is positioned a distance away from the first choke plate, resulting in a gap between the first choke plate and the second choke plate for receiving the planar substrate; a first layer disposed at a surface of the upper choke plate, the first layer comprising: a material that attenuates microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and a substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation,wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the first layer and the gap; and a material that attenuates microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and a substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation,wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the first layer and the gap; and a second layer disposed at a surface of the second choke plate that faces the first layer, the second layer comprising: the material that attenuates the microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and the substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation, wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the second layer and the gap. the material that attenuates the microwave radiation via dielectric heating by converting the microwave radiation into heat; and the substance that is transparent to the microwave radiation, wherein the substance is configured to surround particles of the material such that at least some amount of the substance is disposed between the material of the second layer and the gap.