Ion ejection from a permanent-magnet mini-helicon thruster

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4896238· OSTI ID:22303447

Chen, Francis F. ^[1]

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1. Electrical Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1594 (United States)

A small helicon source, 5 cm in diameter and 5 cm long, using a permanent magnet (PM) to create the DC magnetic field B, is investigated for its possible use as an ion spacecraft thruster. Such ambipolar thrusters do not require a separate electron source for neutralization. The discharge is placed in the far-field of the annular PM, where B is fairly uniform. The plasma is ejected into a large chamber, where the ion energy distribution is measured with a retarding-field energy analyzer. The resulting specific impulse is lower than that of Hall thrusters but can easily be increased to relevant values by applying to the endplate of the discharge a small voltage relative to spacecraft ground.

• OSTI ID: 22303447
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 21; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON SOURCES
ENERGY SPECTRA
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PERMANENT MAGNETS
PLASMA
PULSES
THRUSTERS