Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

How to Ignite an Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Plasma Torch without Any Additional Igniters
Published on: April 16, 2015
Measurement of enhanced radiation force on a parallel metallic-plate system in the microwave regime
Z Marcet1, Z H Hang2, S B Wang3
1Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China and William Mong Institute of Nano Science and Technology, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China and Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.
Abstract:
We measure the force exerted by microwave radiation on a centimeter-sized parallel-plate metallic resonant unit. By varying the ambient environment, we distinguish carefully between the direct radiation force and the indirect photothermal component. At the microwave resonance, the former is measured quantitatively to be 100 times larger than the conventional radiation force. Furthermore, the enhanced radiation force tends to increase the separation of the plates. Both the direction and the magnitude of the measured force agree well with numerical calculations.
Related Concept Videos
Standing Waves in a Cavity
Ampere-Maxwell's Law: Problem-Solving
To solve the problem, we can use the equations from the analysis of an RC circuit and Maxwell's version of Ampère's law.
For the first part of the...
Momentum And Radiation Pressure
Biological Effects of Radiation
Electric Field of Parallel Conducting Plates
Consider a cross-section of a thin, infinite conducting plate having a positive charge. For such a large thin plate, as the thickness of the plate tends to zero, the positive charges lie on the plate's two large faces. Without an external electric field, the...
Magnetic Force Between Two Parallel Currents
The force exerted by the magnetic field due to the first conductor over a finite length of the second conductor is given as the product of the current in the second conductor and the vector product of the length vector along the current element and the field due to the first conductor. According to the...

