Power matching between plasma generation and electrostatic acceleration in helicon electrostatic thruster
Power matching between plasma generation and electrostatic acceleration in helicon electrostatic thruster
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DOI：
10.1016/j.actaastro.2017.06.032
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发表时间：
2017-10
影响因子：
3.5
通讯作者：
D. Ichihara;Yoshiya Nakagawa;A. Uchigashima;A. Iwakawa;A. Sasoh;Yamazaki Takuya
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
D. Ichihara;Yoshiya Nakagawa;A. Uchigashima;A. Iwakawa;A. Sasoh;Yamazaki Takuya
以氩气为工作气体，放电电压为300 V，流量为0.5 Aeq（安培当量）或1.0 Aeq，研究了射频功率对螺旋型静电推力器中离子产生和静电加速度的影响。比直流放电功率更小的射频功率增强了工作气体的电离，从而增加了离子束电流和能量。然而，过高的射频功率输入导致其饱和，导致电离成本的不利增加，并伴有双重带电离子的产生。从射频功率产生的离子与直流放电功率产生的静电加速度之间的权衡来看，推力效率在射频与直流放电功率的最佳比为0.6 ~ 1.0时达到最大值。
The effects of a radio-frequency (RF) power on the ion generation and electrostatic acceleration in a helicon electrostatic thruster were investigated with a constant discharge voltage of 300 V using argon as the working gas at a flow rate either of 0.5 Aeq (Ampere equivalent) or 1.0 Aeq. A RF power that was even smaller than a direct-current (DC) discharge power enhanced the ionization of the working gas, thereby both the ion beam current and energy were increased. However, an excessively high RF power input resulted in their saturation, leading to an unfavorable increase in an ionization cost with doubly charged ion production being accompanied. From the tradeoff between the ion production by the RF power and the electrostatic acceleration made by the direct current discharge power, the thrust efficiency has a maximum value at an optimal RF to DC discharge power ratio of 0.6 – 1.0.