Keywords:ion thruster; electric propulsion; hollow cathode keeper erosion
Publisher:Pasadena, CA : Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005.
Citation:29th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Princeton, NJ, October 31 - November 4, 2005
Abstract:
Ions with energies significantly in excess of the discharge voltage have been reported in high current hollow cathode discharges. Models of DC potential hills downstream of the cathode and ion acoustic instabilities in a double layer postulated in the cathode orifice have been proposed to explain these energetic ions, but have not been substantiated in experiments.