Laser-induced fluorescence characterization of ions emitted from hollow cathodes

Author

Williams, George J., Jr. ; Smith, Timothy B. ; Domonkos, Matthew T. ; Gallimore, Alec D. ; Drake, R.P.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Aerosp. Eng., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

28

Issue

5

fYear

2000

fDate

10/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1664

Lastpage

1675

Abstract

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) was used to measure the mean and variance of the velocity distribution of xenon ions emitted from two hollow cathode assemblies operating at low power. High-energy ions detected in plume-mode and spot-mode operation are consistent with the potential-hill model of high-energy ion production. The distributions of velocities were modeled, yielding temperatures on the order of a few electronvolts in plume mode and 1 eV in spot mode. The LIF of neutral xenon atoms in the plumes indicated thermal temperatures significantly less than the temperatures associated with the ion velocity distributions

Keywords

cathodes; electric propulsion; fluorescence; ion emission; plasma diagnostics; positive ions; xenon; Xe; Xe ions; electric propulsion; high-energy ions; hollow cathode assemblies; hollow cathodes; ion emission; ion propulsion; ion velocity distributions; laser-induced fluorescence characterization; mean; neutral xenon atoms; plasma diagnostics; plume mode; potential-hill model; spot mode operation; thermal temperatures; variance; velocity distribution; velocity distributions; Assembly; Cathodes; Fluorescence; Laser modes; Power lasers; Power measurement; Production; Temperature distribution; Velocity measurement; Xenon;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.901252

Filename

901252