Multi-channel rail switch of parallel-plate Blumlein line

In this paper a rail-like switch with multi-channel connected with parallel electrodes is designed and manufactured. The structure of the switch is illustrated and the internal electric field distribution is simulated by an electromagnetic simulation code. The voltage and current of the switch installed in the experiment setup are calculated using the software Pispice. Meanwhile experiments give the voltage and current of the switch, which are basically agreed with those from experiments. Experiments also indicate that the breakdown voltage of this switch is about 500 kV and the current of water-resistance of 1 kΩ is about 400 A. This work shows that this switch is compact and suitable to connect with parallel-plates transmission line.