Physics and Technologies of Vacuum Switching
A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Power Electronics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026 | Viewed by 99
Special Issue Editor
Interests: vacuum circuit breaker; vacuum interrupter; vacuum arc plasma; mechanical reliability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past century, vacuum electronics has progressed from thermionic valves to high-power microwave sources and modern switching devices, all while grounding itself in the fundamental physics of low-pressure plasma behavior and electron emission. Along this trajectory, vacuum switching has emerged as a critical domain where the physics of vacuum electronics governs dielectric insulation and current-interruption performance. Contemporary research focuses on refining theories of electron emission, magnetohydrodynamic models of vacuum arcs, plasma-surface interaction mechanisms, and on integrating advanced diagnostic techniques with artificial intelligence to predict and optimize switching behavior. These innovations respond to the increasing need for dependable power interruption in energy systems. This Special Issue showcases pioneering research on the physical principles and technological advancements in vacuum switching. Possible research topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Vacuum switching technologies, including AC and DC interruption, controlled and triggered switching techniques, hybrid switching concepts, and apparatus for renewable energy integration and for energy storage systems.
- Physics of vacuum arcs, including cathode spot dynamics, electron emission mechanisms, plasma-surface interactions, anode phenomena, magnetic field effects, the role of contact materials in arc behavior, and metal droplet and particle dynamics.
- Vacuum breakdown and insulation physics, including pre-breakdown and surface discharge mechanisms, pre-breakdown electron emission, high-voltage pulsed power switching, triggered vacuum gaps, surface conditioning processes, post-arc recovery phenomena, and dielectric breakdown mechanisms.
- Computational modeling and artificial intelligence, including magnetohydrodynamic simulations of arcing processes, machine learning techniques for predicting arc behavior, and advanced diagnostic methods such as high-speed imaging and spectroscopic characterization.
Dr. Xiaofei Yao
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- vacuum switching
- electron emission
- plasma physics
- pulsed power switching
- computational modeling
- artificial intelligence
- spectroscopic diagnostics
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