Patent ID: 8294071

Claim:
A microwave irradiation apparatus comprising: an applicator portion, having an interior space for housing an object to be irradiated, wherein the interior space of the applicator portion has a rectangular section configured to cross the wave guide axis of the applicator portion, and the rectangular section has a vertical side thereof differing in size from a horizontal side thereof; a first microwave irradiation system having a first magnetron for outputting a first microwave and a first microwave guide for guiding the first microwave; a second microwave irradiation system having a second magnetron for outputting a second microwave and a second microwave guide for guiding the second microwave; and a short circuit plate disposed at an end of the applicator portion, at a side opposite to a microwave input side to which the first microwave and the second microwave are inputted in a wave guide axis direction of the applicator portion; wherein the first microwave guide is connected to the applicator portion such that a wave guide axis of the first microwave guide mostly coincides with a wave guide axis of the applicator portion, and wherein the second microwave guide is connected to the applicator portion such that a wave guide axis of the second microwave guide is perpendicular to that of the applicator portion; wherein the second microwave guide has a flat shape, and a connection to the applicator portion via a flat opening of the applicator portion, and a narrow shape along a microwave travelling direction from the first microwave guide to the applicator portion; wherein the first microwave irradiation system is configured in a first mode to output the first microwave to the interior space, thereby enabling generation of a maximum electric field and a minimum magnetic field at a specific location in the interior space; wherein the second microwave irradiation system is configured in a second mode to output the second microwave to the interior space, the second microwave having a polarization plane crossing a polarization plane of the first microwave, thereby enabling generation of a maximum magnetic field and a minimum electric field at the same specific location in the interior space; wherein the applicator portion is configured to initiate a first standing wave generated by the first microwave and a second standing wave generated by the second microwave; and wherein a base is disposed where both an electric field of the first microwave shows a maximum value in the wave guide axis direction, and a magnetic field of the second microwave shows a maximum value in the wave guide axis direction.