Abstract
A current-free electric double layer is created in a helicon double layer thruster operating with xenon and compared to a recently developed theory. The Xe+ ion beam formed by acceleration through the potential drop of the double layer is characterized radially using an electrostatic ion energy analyzer. For operating conditions of 500 W rf power, 0.07 mTorr gas pressure, and a maximum magnetic field of 125 G, the measured beam velocity is about 6 km s-1, the beam area is about 150 cm2, and the measured beam divergence is less than 6°.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 261503 |
| Journal | Applied Physics Letters |
| Volume | 89 |
| Issue number | 26 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |