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Studies on Plasma Production and Ion Heating by Using Only a Single Helical Antenna for a Simple Thruster

Tsuyoshi HAMANO, Ryosuke KINOSHITA, Yuki NAKATSUKA, Yasuyoshi YASAKA, Satoshi NAKAMOTO and Hiromasa TAKENO

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan

(Received 25 November 2014 / Accepted 23 February 2015 / Published 16 April 2015)

Abstract

Recently, studies of electric propulsion have been actively performed, and a new structure of radio frequency control has been proposed. The thrust of radio frequency driven electric propulsion is provided via plasma production and ion heating produced by excited wave of application of radio frequency. If the excited waves at the ion cyclotron resonance are left hand polarized, the waves couple to ions and ion heating takes place. On the other hand, the right hand polarized waves do not couple with ions and their energy goes to electrons via wave-particle interaction or direct acceleration. By employing a single helical antenna, the left hand polarized waves are launched toward one direction parallel to the magnetic field, and the right hand polarized waves are launched toward opposite direction simultaneously. Therefore plasma production and ion heating can be achieved by using only a single helical antenna. Basic experiments to examine the proposed structure have been performed, showing consistent results with expected scenario.

Copyright (c) 2015 The Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research

Keywords

plasma, plasma production, ion heating, ion acceleration, helical antenna, ion cyclotron resonance

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.10.3406032

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Tsuyoshi HAMANO, Ryosuke KINOSHITA, Yuki NAKATSUKA, Yasuyoshi YASAKA, Satoshi NAKAMOTO and Hiromasa TAKENO, Plasma Fusion Res. 10, 3406032 (2015).