WHAT TYPE OF TRANSPORT PHENOMENA CAN BE INDUCED BY MICROWAVE FIELD IN SOLIDS AND HOW THESE PHENOMENA CONTRIBUTE TO MATERIALS PROCESSING

摘要

The most typical microwave effects in materials processing are considered and classified in the context of their nature. A definition of non-thermal effects is suggested and their study during the last decade is reviewed. The main experimental evidence for existence of such effects is summarized, and theoretical ideas concerning transport phenomena which can be induced by the microwave field in solids are discussed. Possible contribution of these transport phenomena into different processes (e.g., sintering, grain growth, spinodal decomposition, and phase transformation) is discussed. The particular attention is paid to analysis of possible microwave effects in thin films.