Small helicon plasma source for electric propulsion

Toki, Kyoichiro; Shinohara, Shunjiro; Tanikawa, Takao; Shamrai, K. P.

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2005.08.039

Cited by 43 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Fused quartz has also been used in other large diameter helicon plasma sources [7], and widely used as a gas containment tube material in helicon plasma sources for plasma-assisted coating and sputtering applications [8], (where commonly referred to as a 'discharge tube'). Pyrex ® has also been used as a GCT material in low power helicon plasma sources [9,10]. Borosilicate glass has been used as the material in a smalldiameter plasma discharge tube [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the processing, composition, and temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramics

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The current review uses the material requirements of a new space propulsion device, the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR ® ) as a basis for presenting the temperature dependent properties of a range of dielectric ceramics, but data presented could be used in the engineering design of any ceramic component with complementary material requirements. A material is required for the gas containment tube (GCT) of VASIMR ® to allow it to operate at higher power levels. The GCT's operating conditions place severe constraints on the choice of material. A dielectric is required with a high thermal conductivity, low dielectric loss factor, and high thermal shock resistance. There is a lack of a representative set of temperature-dependent material property data for materials considered for this application and these are required for accurate thermo-structural modelling. This modelling would facilitate the selection of an optimum material for this component. The goal of this paper is to determine the best material property data values for use in the materials selection and design of such components. A review of both experimentally and theoretically-determined temperature-dependent & room temperature properties of several materials has been undertaken. Data extracted are presented by property. Properties reviewed are density, Young's, bulk and shear moduli, Poisson's ratio, tensile, flexural and compressive strength, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient and the factors affecting maximum service temperature. Materials reviewed are alumina, aluminium nitride, beryllia, fused quartz, sialon and silicon nitride.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the processing, composition, and temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramics

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…31 Although a number of other authors have labeled their small radius (R < 2 cm) RF discharges as helicon sources, 10,11,[32][33][34] the presence of propagating waves was not directly verified in any of these experiments. Only Shinohara et al 33 found compelling evidence for helicon mode operation by identifying two separate mode transitions from a CCP mode to an ICP mode and then to a helicon mode.…”

Section: 28mentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Driving each MOSFET at somewhat less than 50% duty cycle is generally necessary for stable operation. The circuit for the 1Q output, which consists of the right side of U3 (pins [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] and the attached components, is included in the diagram in Fig. 6.…”

Section: A Amplifier Circuitmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We have developed a radiofrequency (RF) pre-ionization source to produce this seed plasma, allowing for the creation of lower mass jets that are hotter and faster than those in previous experiments. a) Electronic mail: vernon.chaplin@gmail.com Low pressure RF plasmas, which include capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs), inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs), and wave-heated plasmas (WHPs) such as helicons, are widely used in industrial materials processing, 9 as well as in other fields such as electric propulsion 10 and bioengineering. 11 They have been used for pre-ionization in at least one spheromak experiment similar to the Caltech experiments 12 and also to assist startup in some tokamaks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Battery-powered pulsed high density inductively coupled plasma source for pre-ionization in laboratory astrophysics experiments

Chaplin

Bellan

2015

Review of Scientific Instruments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Articles you may be interested inReduction of plasma density in the Helicity Injected Torus with Steady Inductance experiment by using a helicon pre-ionization source Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 103506 (2013) An electrically floating radiofrequency (RF) pre-ionization plasma source has been developed to enable neutral gas breakdown at lower pressures and to access new experimental regimes in the Caltech laboratory astrophysics experiments. The source uses a customized 13.56 MHz class D RF power amplifier that is powered by AA batteries, allowing it to safely float at 3-6 kV with the electrodes of the high voltage pulsed power experiments. The amplifier, which is capable of 3 kW output power in pulsed (<1 ms) operation, couples electrical energy to the plasma through an antenna external to the 1.1 cm radius discharge tube. By comparing the predictions of a global equilibrium discharge model with the measured scalings of plasma density with RF power input and axial magnetic field strength, we demonstrate that inductive coupling (rather than capacitive coupling or wave damping) is the dominant energy transfer mechanism. Peak ion densities exceeding 5 × 10 19 m −3 in argon gas at 30 mTorr have been achieved with and without a background field. Installation of the pre-ionization source on a magnetohydrodynamically driven jet experiment reduced the breakdown time and jitter and allowed for the creation of hotter, faster argon plasma jets than was previously possible. C 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx

show abstract

“…In these concepts, the high density plasma is accelerated by divergent magnetic field (magnetic nozzle) for thrust production, and in the whole thrust production process, the electrodes do not contact with the plasma directly. This electrodeless configuration is one of promising solutions for the problems of the erosions and contaminations in conventional electric propulsion systems 9) Plasma acceleration by the magnetic nozzle has been investigated theoretically by Fruchtman in quasi-1-D model 10) , and numerically by Ahedo and Merino in 2-D computation 11) . These studies report that the detail plasmadynamics and the thrust production mechanism by the magnetic nozzle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary Investigation of Electromagnetic Thrust Characteristics in Electrodeless Compact Helicon Plasma Thruster

Nakamura

Nishida

Shinohara

et al. 2014

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In order to realize long-lived electric propulsion systems, we have been investigating an electrodeless plasma thruster. In our concept, high-density plasma from a compact helicon plasma source is accelerated by a magnetic nozzle for the thrust production. In order to optimize the thruster design, investigation of the thrust characteristics is needed. In this study, development of the electromagnetic thrust measurement system for compact helicon plasma thrusters and preliminary experiment of thrust measurement have been conducted. We have successfully developed a torsion-pendulum type thrust stand with measurement resolution of 10 N. From the thrust measurement, the electromagnetic thrust increases with the Ar gas mass flow rate and plasma production power. The thrust force and the electron density jump are observed due to the discharge mode transition from the inductively coupled plasma to the helicon wave excited plasma. The electromagnetic thrust force is up to 340 N (Ar gas mass flow rate of 1.0 mg/s, plasma production power of 400 W).

show abstract

Small helicon plasma source for electric propulsion

Cited by 43 publications

References 3 publications

A review of the processing, composition, and temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramics

A review of the processing, composition, and temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramics

Battery-powered pulsed high density inductively coupled plasma source for pre-ionization in laboratory astrophysics experiments

Preliminary Investigation of Electromagnetic Thrust Characteristics in Electrodeless Compact Helicon Plasma Thruster

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About