Helicon-Injected Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Neutron Source or Space Propulsion Device

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:23047418

Miley, George H; Ahern, Drew ^[1]

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1. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 103 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801 (United States)

Work is ongoing at the University of Illinois on a Helicon Injected Inertial Plasma Electrostatic (IEC) as a neutron source for neutron activation analysis. It is also of interest for use as an Helicon Injected IEC Rocket, or HIIPER. In both cases the use of the external plasma source allows a lower pressure in the IEC chamber, reducing inefficiency due to ion charge exchange losses. As a neutron source, the IEC grids serve to recirculate the deuterium ions such that fusion collisions can occur. For HIIPER asymmetry in the IEC grids forms a jet-like exhaust of accelerated plasma, producing a force. In both cases the IEC grid is designed to extract ions from the external radio frequency (RF) plasma generating stage run in the helicon mode. Because electrons have been measured in glow discharge mode for this grid design, the HIIPER exhaust plasma is potentially a neutralized plasma flow. This is a benefit over ion and Hall thrusters, which require electron generating cathodes to neutralize the accelerated ion exhaust. An additional benefit of this setup is that separating the plasma generating and plasma-accelerating stages is beneficial for space mission planning.

• OSTI ID: 23047418
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 116; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
ASYMMETRY
CATHODES
CHARGE EXCHANGE
DESIGN
DEUTERIUM IONS
ELECTRONS
ELECTROSTATICS
GLOW DISCHARGES
GRIDS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NEUTRON SOURCES
PLASMA
PROPULSION
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
ROCKETS
THRUSTERS