Publication: Wave propagation and absorption in a Helicon plasma thruster and its plume
Loading...
Identifiers
Publication date
2022-04-14
Defense date
Advisors
Tutors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IOP Science
Impact
Export
Abstract
A two-dimensional, full-wave, frequency domain, cold
plasma model is used to study electromagnetic power
propagation and absorption in a helicon plasma thruster,
including its far plume region and surrounding space. Re-
sults show that a fraction of power is absorbed in the
plume region, and that power deposition in the source
is essentially unperturbed by the simulation domain size,
the presence of metallic obstacles, or the plasma den-
sity in the environment. An electron-cyclotron reso-
nance (ECR) surface always exists downstream that ef-
fectively prevents radiation to the space beyond along
the plume. In the presence of an overdense environmen-
tal plasma, like the one expected in a vacuum cham-
ber, elds are fully evanescent beyond this transition,
and vacuum chamber boundary conditions a ect but lit-
tle the waveelds before this surface. In the absence of an
environmental plasma, a double wave regime transition
exists at the interface between the plasma and vacuum
that hinders accurate numerical simulation in the plume
region.
Description
Keywords
Waves in plasmas, Electric propulsion, Electrodeless thrusters, Helicon plasma thruster
Bibliographic citation
Jiménez, P., Merino, M., & Ahedo, E. (2022). Wave propagation and absorption in a helicon plasma thruster and its plume. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 31(4), 045009.