The developed
theoretical knowledge greatly preceded the level of current technology and couldn't offer
a simple and reliable piece of equipment to register micro-leaks and to control the level of
vacuum in the chambers. Problem such as copper contacts' tendency to form cold welds
in vacuum and generation of over voltages due to premature arc extinction of the
refractory contacts could not be resolved. The above mentioned technical problems led to
the stagnation of vacuum switching technology development.