Optimized atom injection in a Hall effect thruster

Journal Article · Mon Nov 29 00:00:00 EST 2004 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1829137· OSTI ID:20634490

Garrigues, L; Hagelaar, G J.M.; Boniface, C; Boeuf, J P ^[1]

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1. Centre de Physique des Plasmas et Applications de Toulouse, CNRS-Universite Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France)

An improvement of the neutral gas injection in order to increase the Hall thruster lifetime capabilities is demonstrated using a two-dimensional model. An additional atom injection through the channel ceramics in a region located between the ionization and the acceleration zones leads to an efficient ionization of the neutral flux, with a flattening of the plasma density and potential profiles in the radial direction. Thanks to this modified injection of the atom flow, a focusing electric field is produced, reducing the ion flux impacting on ceramic walls.

• OSTI ID: 20634490
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 85, Issue 22; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1829137; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
ATOMS
BEAM INJECTION
CERAMICS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FOCUSING
GAS INJECTION
HALL EFFECT
IONIZATION
LIFETIME
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
THRUSTERS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS