Patent ID: 7015441

Claim:
A method for heating a sample, said method comprising: providing a heating apparatus which includes a waveguide, an applicator, and a deflector positioned in said waveguide to form a resonant cavity with the sample and said applicator; inserting the sample in the applicator; generating electromagnetic radiation at a first output power level; and rotating the deflector for adjusting coupling factors between the waveguide and the resonant cavity, wherein rotating the deflector includes: performing at least once one of the following: positioning the deflector in a first position and measuring a first power of electromagnetic radiation reflected from the applicator, the reflected radiation corresponding to said first position of the deflector, rotating the deflector to a second position that is different from the first position and measuring a second power of electromagnetic radiation reflected from the applicator, the reflected radiation corresponding to said second position of the deflector; and determining a preferred position of the deflector based on the amount of power reflected from the waveguide applicator in at least the first and second positions.