The design and modelling of a stable and easy to build coaxial 2.45 GHz microwave plasma torch is presented. Its held modelling and operational principles based on transmission line theory are discussed. An experimental range of stable operation for usage in atomic spectrometry extends from 50 to 200 W microwave power and from an argon working gas flow of 50 to 1000 ml/min. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.