A Low-Cost, Lightweight Single-Pole Four-Throw Mechanical Switch Based on Gap Waveguides

This letter presents a novel single-pole four-throw (SP4T) mechanical switch based on the gap waveguide (GWG) technology. The proposed design is based on the fundamental principle of GWG, which inherently eliminates the need for electrical contact between the top and bottom conducting plates. On this basis, the proposed switch is formed by a GWG whose top and bottom sections can be displaced relative to each other, thus facilitating switching between ports. For demonstration, an SP4T switch for Ku-band applications is designed, fabricated, and experimentally validated. The switch is fabricated using the pins-on-substrate GWG fabrication method to reduce weight and cost. Simulation and measurement results show that the switch offers high isolation, low insertion loss, and robust power handling, outperforming the existing GWG designs. Furthermore, the design is scalable to switches with more output ports, such as SP8T and SP16T, extending its applicability.