Study of electron-extraction characteristics of an inductively coupled radio-frequency plasma neutralizer

Inductively coupled radio-frequency（RF） plasma neutralizer（RPN） is an insert-free device that can be employed as an electron source in electric propulsion applications.Electron-extraction characteristics of the RPN are related to the bulk plasma parameters and the device＇s geometry.Therefore,the effects of different electron-extraction apertures and operational parameters upon the electron-extraction characteristics are investigated according to the global nonambipolar flow and sheath model.Moreover,these models can also be used to explain why the electron-extraction characteristics of the RPN strongly depend upon the formation of the anode spot.During the experimental study,two types of anode spots are observed.Each of them has unique characteristics of electron extraction.Moreover,the hysteresis of an anode spot is observed by changing the xenon volume-flow rates or the bias voltages.In addition,the rapid ignited method,gas-utilization factor,electron-extraction cost and other factors that need to be considered in the design of the RPN are also discussed.

The Use of an Electron Microchannel as a Self-Extracting and Focusing Plasma Cathode Electron Gun

A new and simple type of electron gun is presented.Unlike conventional electron guns,which require a heated filament or extractor,accelerator and focusing electrodes,this gun uses the collimated electron microchannels of an inertial electrostatic confinement（IEC） discharge to achieve the same outcome.A cylindrical cathode is placed coaxially within a cylindrical anode to create the discharge.Collimated beams of electrons and fast neutrals emerge along the axis of the cylindrical cathode.This geometry isolates one of the microchannels that emerge in a negatively biased IEC grid.The internal operating pressure range of the gun is 35-190 m Torr.A small aperture separates the gun from the main vacuum chamber in order to achieve a pressure differential.The chamber was operated at pressures of 4-12 m Torr.The measured current produced by the gun was 0.1-3 m A（0.2-14 m A corrected measurement） for discharge currents of 1-45 m A and discharge voltages of 0.5-12 k V.The collimated electron beam emerges from the aperture into the vacuum chamber.The performance of the gun is unaffected by the pressure differential between the vacuum chamber and the gun.This allows the aperture to be removed and the chamber pressure to be equal to the gun pressure if required.