Physical characterization of high-frequency instabilities in Hall thrusters
- Aerothermique Laboratory, CNRS, 45071 Orleans (France)
High-frequency instabilities (5-10 MHz) were investigated in two Hall thrusters of different scale and were shown to have the same character. Two diagnostic tools were implemented in this study: capacitive antennas, electrically isolated from plasma, and plasma immersed probes. Their corresponding signals were analyzed in terms of capacitive and charge-collecting effects. The previously suggested physical representation of these high frequency instabilities as azimuthally drifting electron density fluctuations was reinforced and significant deviations from azimuthal symmetry in the thruster plume are evidenced. Finally, data obtained by using positively biased probe evidenced lower frequency components, assigned to 'ion transit time' instabilities.
- OSTI ID:
- 20860211
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2231723; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Search for the Frequency Content of Hall Effect Thruster HF Electrostatic Wave with the Hilbert-Huang Method
Long wavelength gradient drift instability in Hall plasma devices. II. Applications