A vacuum interrupter includes a small-sized, light-weight, rigid coil electrode located behind a main electrode having a plurality of straight slits provided therein and extending from the periphery toward the central portion thereof, wherein magnetic field is created in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the main electrode by arc current flowing through the coil electrode, thereby causing arc produced on the surface of the main electrode to be uniformly and stably distributed, while preventing weakening of the magnetic field by arc current flowing along the surface of the main electrode and eddy current developed on the main electrode by the magnetic field.