Bulletin of the American Physical Society
49th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics
Volume 52, Number 11
Monday–Friday, November 12–16, 2007; Orlando, Florida
Session BO5: Processing, Plasma Antennas, and Electric Propulsion
9:30 AM–12:18 PM,
Monday, November 12, 2007
Rosen Centre Hotel
Room: Salon 11/12
Chair: Igor Alexeff, University of Tennessee
Abstract ID: BAPS.2007.DPP.BO5.9
Abstract: BO5.00009 : Studies of a Pure Electron Plasma to Investigate Electron Mobility in Hall Thrusters
11:06 AM–11:18 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Authors:
Emily Fossum
(Michigan Tech University)
Lyon King
(Michigan Tech University)
Excessive cross-field electron mobility in Hall thrusters has a negative effect on thruster efficiency and has been shown experimentally to be much larger than predicted by classical theory. An electron trapping apparatus was constructed in order to study electron dynamics in the defining electric and magnetic fields of a Hall-effect thruster in a highly controlled environment. Electrons are confined using only electric and magnetic fields without ions and dielectric walls, which are present in a typical Hall thruster. Mobility studies on a non-neutral plasma provide several advantages over a Hall thuster's quasi-neutral plasma, including a well-defined electric field and the ability to take internal electrostatic probe measurements. Cross-field electron mobility was investigated in response to magnetic and electric field strengths and background neutral density. Experimental design considerations including loading mechanisms, trapping potential, field design, and diagnostic techniques are presented along with experimental results. In this investigation, measured cross-field mobility appears to be consistent with Bohm-like mobility rather than classical mobility.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2007.DPP.BO5.9
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