Patent ID: 7253708

Claim:
A radio frequency (RF) cavity resonator comprising: a resonator chamber for containing an RF field; an RF coupling element coupled to the resonator chamber for introducing the RF field into and extracting the RF field from the resonator chamber; a tuning assembly for causing the RF field to resonate at a desired frequency, wherein at least a portion of the tuning assembly is coupled within the resonator chamber, the tuning assembly comprising a tuning rod having a first end and a second end, a tuning element coupled to the tuning rod at the first end, a tuning rod support surrounding at least a portion of the tuning rod, a locking nut surrounding at least a portion of the tuning rod and tightened against the tuning rod support, and a tuning knob coupled to the tuning rod at the second end; and a heat transport element included in at least one of the tuning element, the tuning rod support, the locking nut, the tuning knob and the tuning rod for transporting heat from the RF cavity resonator, the heat transport element comprising a phase change material, a housing for enclosing the phase change material, means for circulating the phase change material within the housing, and an electrically conductive surface for isolating the phase change material from the RF field, wherein the phase change material undergoes a phase change during circulation within the housing.