PROCESS FOR HEATING MATERIALS BY MICROWAVE ENERGY

摘要

: The invention provides a process for preparing a heat-treated body from a material (preferably a dielectric ceramic) that does not couple well with microwaves while nevertheless using microwave energy for the heating step. The process involves the use of a microwave susceptor (i.e. a material that couples well with microwaves) as a means for generating heat in the material. However, to prevent contamination of the final product with the susceptor, the susceptor is chosen from substances which following the heating step, are substantially indistinguishable from the remainder of the material forming the heat-treated body. Alpha-alumina may be heated in this way by employing subalpha alumina as the susceptor. The resulting substantially pure heat-treated (and preferably sintered) bodies can be used for a variety of purposes, e.g. as substrates for micro-electronic devices.