A Low-cost Waveguide Switch Using Glide-symmetric Holey Electromagnetic Band Gap Technology

This paper presents a novel double pole double through (DPDT) waveguide switch based on glide-symmetric holey electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure. Applying the glide-symmetric holey (EBG) technology in the electromechanical switches prevents the wave leakage to the gap between the inner rotary part and the outer fixed ring of the switch. Construction of the holey EBG structure is easier and less expensive comparing the conventional bed of nails as the perfect magnetic conductor surface of an EBG structure, because drilling is more cost-effective comparing machining periodic tiny pins. The waveguide paths have been surrounded by one row of glide-symmetric holes. Simulation results show that the isolation between adjacent ports in the OFF state is more than 80 dB in the frequency range of 9-15GHz. The reflection coefficient and insertion loss of the switch ports are less than -35dB and 0.05dB, respectively. Comparing traditional gap waveguide switches, presented switch in this paper has wider bandwidth, higher isolation and lower reflection coefficient.