Physical Processes in Hollow Cathode Discharge

Abstract

The hollow cathode is an effective source of dense, low energy plasma. Hollow cathodes find use in ion beam sources for laboratory and space applications. They can also be used independently for satellite charge control, and ion beam neutralization. A heaterless hollow cathode design was tested with argon gas used as a propellant. This thesis work investigated the device properties, that is, the emission currents as a function of discharge current, propellant flow rate and other physical parameters. Starting behavior was a main point of the investigation. The results of these experiments were compared with studies of the conventional hollow cathode. Keywords: Cathodes, Plasmas(Physics) , Ion beams, Theses.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA225329

Entities

People

  • Hwang-jin Han

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Barium Oxides
  • Current Density
  • Electric Fields
  • Electric Propulsion
  • Electron Emission
  • Emission
  • Flow Rate
  • Glow Discharges
  • Ion Beams
  • Ion Thrusters
  • Ions
  • Materials
  • Power Supplies
  • Propellants
  • Refractory Metals
  • Surface Temperature
  • Thermionic Emission

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster