Development of a High-Frequency Emissive Probe System for Plasma Potential Measurements in a Hall Thruster

Author

Mazouffre, Stephane ; Petin, Aude ; Kudrna, Pavel ; Tichy, Milan

Author_Institution

Centre Nat. de la Rech. Sci., ICARE Lab., Orleans, France

Volume

43

Issue

1

fYear

2015

fDate

Jan. 2015

Firstpage

29

Lastpage

34

Abstract

A heated emissive probe is a smart diagnostic tool for acquisition of the plasma potential in the discharge and in the plume of a Hall thruster. However, measurements of high-frequency oscillations of the potential require a specific electrical circuit with a low _RC time constant. We developed and tested an emissive probe system with a cutoff frequency of 1 MHz. Details about the low-pass filter design as well as first experimental outcomes obtained in the plume of a 200 W permanent magnet Hall thruster are given in this paper.

Keywords

discharges (electric); ion engines; plasma devices; plasma magnetohydrodynamics; plasma oscillations; plasma probes; Hall thruster; diagnostic tool; discharge; electrical circuit; frequency 1 MHz; heated emissive probe; high-frequency emissive probe system; high-frequency oscillations; low RC time constant; low-pass filter design; permanent magnet; plasma potential measurement; power 200 W; Electric potential; Heating; Inductors; Oscillators; Plasma measurements; Plasmas; Probes; Discharge oscillation; Hall thruster (HT); Hall thruster (HT).; emissive probe;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2014.2316322

Filename

6837525