Patent ID: 8197473

Claim:
A device for directing energy to a target volume of tissue, comprising: an inner conductor having a length; and an outer conductor coaxially surrounding the inner conductor along the length, the outer conductor having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion of the outer conductor is provided with a number of apertures N defined therein for radiating energy, where N is an integer greater than 1, each aperture having a size and extending at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the outer conductor, wherein at least one of the size and the angle of each aperture is varied in relation to the other apertures N−1 such that the energy radiated along the distal portion is substantially uniform; a number of inclusion elements M, where M is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to N, each inclusion element having a size, a shape, and an edge disposed substantially adjacent to an edge of a corresponding one of the apertures, each inclusion element extending inwardly toward the inner conductor at an angle relative to a plane substantially coextensive with the corresponding one of the apertures; a first dielectric material separating the inner and outer conductors; and a dielectric volume associated with each inclusion element, wherein each dielectric volume is formed of a second dielectric material having a dielectric constant different than a dielectric constant of the first dielectric material.