Abstract: A cooking apparatus may include a cooking chamber, a heating mechanism, a microwave generator, and a waveguide. The cooking chamber may hold cooking media. The heating mechanism may be disposed at the cooking chamber and may heat the cooking media. The microwave generator may produce microwave energy. The waveguide may be disposed on the cooking chamber and may transmit the microwave energy from the microwave generator to the cooking chamber. The microwave generator may be mounted to the waveguide at one end portion of the waveguide. An opening may be formed in an opposite end portion of the waveguide through which the microwave energy may enter the cooking chamber. The opposite end portion of the waveguide may be opposite to the one end portion of the waveguide.

Abstract: A system for shortening incubation times on immunoassays employs energy that is applied to the assays. Energy is applied in careful gradations so that chemical bonds are not broken. If polyclonal antibodies, as opposed to monoclonal antibodies, are worked with, then because the bonds are stronger, cooling is employed in combination with the extra energy delivered.

Abstract: A seal for an opening defined by a sidewall portion of the pressurizable tank. The tank contains desiccant for drying gases which pass through the desiccant. An elongate antenna extends from an interior portion to an exterior portion of the tank and is used for carrying microwave energy to the desiccant for regeneration of the desiccant. The seal has an insulator with an interior surface for receiving engagement with the antenna at the opening of the tank. In one embodiment, the interior surface of the insulator is tapered such that a distance between opposing portions of the insulator reduces as the insulator extends in a direction through the opening toward the exterior of the tank. The antenna has a cross sectional dimension which reduces in size as the antenna extends in the direction through the opening toward the exterior of the tank.

Abstract: An electrodeless lamp includes a light transmissive envelope and a fill disposed in the envelope where the fill has the characteristic of emitting light when ignited and is excited by high frequency electrical energy provided by an R.F. or microwave source. The lamp includes a fill material enabling more reliable and effective ignition and shorter restrike intervals after an operating lamp has been extinguished. The fill includes a first component (preferably sulfur, selenium or a mixture of sulfur and selenium) and a second component (preferably xenon gas) included at a partial pressure in the range of 50 to 200 torr. A third component (preferably argon gas) is included at a partial pressure in the range of 5 to 20 torr. Preferably, approximately 5 torr of argon is added to a selected fill pressure of xenon (e.g., a partial pressure of 100 torr or more).

Abstract: An apparatus which couples microwave energy to an electrodeless lamp. A source of microwave energy is connected to a wave guide having a slot along one wall thereof. A nominally cylindrical cavity enclosing an electrodeless lamp is closed at one end and coupled at a second end to the slot. The nominally cylindrical cavity has a non cylindrical surface portion which increases coupling from said slot to a second resonant mode which is orthogonal to a first primary resonant mode, creating a high amplitude standing wave in the region of the electrodeless lamp. Once ignition of the lamp occurs, the impedance of the lamp decreases significantly, and most of the microwave power for sustaining illumination is coupled to the electrodeless lamp in the first resonant mode producing a substantially matched load to said microwave source.