Upgraded Gyrotron System for Millimeter-Wave Processing of Materials

Main components of the prototype 10 kW CW 30 GHz gyrotron system for millimeter-wave processing of materials have been considerably improved. Modifications have been introduced into the design of the gyrotron, transmission line, microwave furnace, and temperature diagnostics and control subsystems. This has made it possible to increase the millimeter-wave power feeding the furnace by more than 1.5 times, significantly reduce the ac power consumption, and make the upgraded system more versatile and user-friendly. The potentialities of the system are illustrated by some results of high temperature sintering of ceramic materials.