INTERMITTENT MICROWAVE ENERGY DELIVERY SYSTEM

An intermittent microwave energy delivery system, comprising: a microwave energy source configured to provide a continuous microwave energy signal; an energy delivery network configured to intermittently transmit a portion of the continuous microwave energy signal; a resistive load configured to dissipate the microwave energy signal; and a switching network configured to switch the continuous microwave energy signal between the microwave energy network and the resistive load, wherein the continuous microwave energy signal is time proportioned between the energy delivery network and the resistive load, and wherein the switching network further includes: a variable attenuator configured to receive the continuous microwave signal from the microwave energy source; a resistive load connected between the variable attenuator and a ground potential; and an amplifier, wherein the variable attenuator is configured to proportionate the continuous microwave signal from the microwave energy source between the resistive load and the amplifier, and wherein the amplifier amplifies the microwave signal from the variable attenuator and supplies the amplified signal to the energy delivery network.