A method for measuring transients caused by interrupting current using a transmission line terminated in its characteristics impedance

A measurement method of transients caused by interrupting a current is described. In consideration of the fast transients and high-frequency discharge phenomena due to interrupting the current, a transmission-line system was introduced. It consists of a coaxial switch, coaxial cables as transmission lines on the right and left sides of the switch, and termination resistors. When the current is interrupted by the switch, the waveform across the termination resistor is measured by an oscilloscope. The impedance-matching technique for the cables was employed to minimize the effects of reflected waves. That is, the resistors were designed to match the characteristic impedance of the cables. The characteristics of the system were measured by a network analyzer. The VSWR of the system was within 1.33 in the frequency range below 500 MHz. The time-domain measurement using a transmission-line system terminated in its characteristic impedance clears up the process of the complicated transients caused by interrupting current