Development and characterization of coaxial two-way switch for RF plasma discharge experiments

A developed high-performance 3−1/8″ coaxial two-way RF switch tailored for RF plasma discharge experiments including pre-ionization and start-up; wall conditioning and Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating has been presented (Bora et al. in Nucl Fusion 46:572–584, 2006; Wilson and Bonoli, in Phys Plasmas 22:021801, 2015). The proposed switch is configured as a coaxial two-way system, meticulously engineered to facilitate seamless transitions in coaxial connections between RF transmitters and antennas for RF power coupling to plasma and other applications and between RF transmitters and dummy loads as per the requirement, all accomplished with an impressively minimal changeover time. The foremost importance of this switch is that it can make two transmissions at a time in contrast to a normal SPDT (single pole double throw) switch where at a time only one connection is available and hence saves time and is economical. The other advantage of having two transmissions at a time is that the same RF load can be used for RF amplifier testing at various stages from 2 kW to 1.5 MW. The development process involves a thorough investigation into the unique requirements and challenges posed by the RF plasma discharge experiments, emphasizing the need for rapid and precise RF signal routing.