Patent ID: 7791355

Claim:
Near field, focusing horn beamed, spot microwave energy responsive material examination apparatus comprising the combination of: a plurality of focused microwave transducer horn antenna elements each disposed on a distinct, selected trajectory, first drive type responsive, movable support element of said material examination apparatus; a focused spot material sample capturing apparatus to capture a microwave energy responsive material sample, the capturing apparatus being disposed in a central near field location with respect to the selected trajectory of said horn antenna elements; each of said selected trajectory first drive type responsive movable support elements further including a second drive type apparatus to drive said respective transducer horn antenna element a radial distance with respect to said material sample capturing apparatus and a third drive type apparatus to drive said respective microwave transducer horn antenna element signal about a polarization angle; a first of said microwave transducer horn antenna elements being a source of microwave energy spot focused on said microwave energy responsive material sample and a second of said microwave transducer horn antenna elements comprising a microwave receiver apparatus also spot focused on said microwave energy responsive material sample with one of said focused microwave transducer horn antenna elements being first drive type responsive around said trajectory with respect to another of said focused microwave transducer horn antenna elements; and programmed electronic computer apparatus connected with said first second and third drive types and in established sequence control of said material examination apparatus following an operator initiation event; said first drive type responsive movable elements and related of said antenna horn elements being position adjustable in response to both positive index and negative index electromagnetic characteristic determined signals received from said energy responsive material sample.