Experimental Studies of Electrostatic Acceleration of Microprojectiles
Abstract
The acceleration of solid material to velocities >/= 100 km/s using reasonable length accelerators can best be accomplished if electrostatic techniques are utilized. An accelerator for nanogram microprojectiles is being developed to demonstrate the basic principles for a multistage system based on the sequential application of voltage pulses ~ 100 kV. Experiments have been performed stressing carbon material to electric fields > 1.6x10(expn 9)/m, a field adequate to attain charge-to-mass ratios (q/m) of 5.0 C/kg for micron-diameter projectiles. An injector for charging and launching the microprojectiles into an accelerator has been constructed and operated with q/m = 1 C/kg. Specialized diagnostics for recording the microprojectile's charge and trajectory include a Faraday cup, and a schlieren optical system coupled to an electronic streak camera and to a microchannel plate framing camera. A five-stage system is presently being and tested to attain a microprojectile velocity of 1 km/s as a proof-of-concept demonstration.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA638846
Entities
People
- C. N. Boyer
- D. Conte
- G. A. Tripoli
- G. Bird
- I. M. Vitkovitsky
- J. F. Davis
- P. J. Turchi
- S. W. Seiler