Study of the Performance of Plasma Interference Switch in 10-MW-Class S-Band Microwave Compressor

This article studies the performance of a microwave plasma interference switch (MPIS) in a 10-MW-class S-band microwave pulse compressor (MPC). It analyzes the impacts of pin and plate electrodes and distance on the output gain, cavity gain, and self-breakdown characteristics of the MPC. Frequency-domain simulations and experimental validation are conducted using a vector network analyzer (VNA) and high-power microwave tests, in order to determine the optimal structural parameters for the resonant cavity. The obtained results show that large-distance pin electrodes provide the highest output gain (up to 17.7 dB) and are less prone to self-breakdown at repetition frequencies below 25 Hz. On the contrary, small-distance plate electrodes have higher performance at higher repetition frequencies compared with small-distance pin electrodes due to their reduced self-breakdown. The 2-D fluid simulation results of the plasma switch demonstrate its evolution process and allow us to understand the experimental results.