Measurements of Plasma Potential Distribution in Segmented Electrode Hall Thruster
Use of a segmented electrode placed at the Hall thruster exit can substantially reduce the voltage potential drop in the fringing magnetic field outside the thruster channel. In this paper, we investigate the dependence of this effect on thruster operating conditions and segmented electrode configuration. A fast movable emissive probe is used to measure plasma potential in a 1 kW laboratory Hall thruster with semented electrodes made of a graphite material. Relatively small probe-induced perturbations of the thruster discharge in the vicinity of the thruster exit allow a reasonable comparison of the measured results for different thruster configurations. It is shown that the plasma potential distribution is almost not sensitive to changes of the electrode potential, but depends on the magnetic field distribution and the electrode placement.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03073
- OSTI ID:
- 788454
- Report Number(s):
- Cfpaper-4359; TRN: AH200136%%40
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 27th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Pasadena, CA (US), 10/14/2001--10/19/2001; Other Information: PBD: 16 Oct 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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