Effects of magnetic field profile near anode on ion acceleration characteristics of a diverging magnetic field electrostatic thruster

In this study, we investigated the effects of the magnetic field profile near a ring anode on the ion acceleration characteristics of a diverging magnetic field electrostatic thruster. In an examined electrostatic thruster, a diverging magnetic field is applied in the ion acceleration region, which comprises a ring anode and an insulating plate in the upstream and an off-axis hollow cathode in the downstream. The ionization near the ring anode inner surface is enhanced by increasing the axial magnetic field in the interior of the ring anode to 250 mT, thereby increasing the effective voltage for the ion acceleration. By supplying 0.41 mg/s argon gas as the working gas through a circular slit between the ring anode and the insulating plate, with a discharge voltage of 200 V, the working gas is almost fully ionized and accelerated to an average energy of 190 eV with a beam diverging angle of 39 degrees. Published by AIP Publishing.