Comprehensive Study on the Contact Materials and Geometry of an MVDC Piezoelectrically Actuated Switch

An optimization of the moving contact plate of a piezoelectrically actuated fast mechanical switch is presented. The Ashby method is used to identify suitable materials for this application to minimize contact mass and power loss. Finite element analysis is employed to optimize the moving contact plate geometry and ensure uniform current density. In addition, the best performing geometries are thermally studied to understand thermal rectification.