Elucidation of Plasma-Discharge Characteristics and Ion-BeamExtraction Mechanism for Micro RF Ion Propulsion

采用由外电路模型和粒子模型组成的数值模型，通过测量等离子体密度和离子束电流，对微型射频离子推力器进行了数值和实验研究，探讨了等离子体放电特性和离子束提取机理。结果表明，在低射频功率下，获得高等离子体密度的射频频率范围为200 ~ 300 MHz，电容耦合的影响不可忽略，存在提取离子束的最佳流量条件。这些结果与数值计算结果有较好的一致性。

We have conducted numerical and experimental research of micro RF ion thruster to investigate plasma-discharge characteristics and ion-beam extraction mechanism by using a numerical model, which consists of an external circuit model and a particle model, and by measuring the plasma density and the ion beam current. As a result, we have found that the op timum RF frequency range is 200-300 MHz to obtain high plasma density at low RF power, the effect of capacitive coupling is not negligible, and there is an optimum flow rate condition to extract ion beam. These results are in reasonable agreement with the numerical calculations.