Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 18, 2501050 (2023)

Overview Articles

Magnetic Nozzle Radiofrequency Plasma Systems for Space Propulsion, Industry, and Fusion Plasmas
Kazunori TAKAHASHI1,2,7), Christine CHARLES3), Rod W BOSWELL3), Kazuma EMOTO4), Yoshinori TAKAO4), Shiro HARA5,6), Haruhisa NAKANO7), Kenichi NAGAOKA7) and Katsuyoshi TSUMORI7)
1)
Department of Electrical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
2)
Interdisciplinary Research Center for Non-equilibrium Plasma, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
3)
Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion Laboratory, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
4)
Division of Systems Research, Yokohama National University, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
5)
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
6)
Minimal Fab Promoting Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
7)
National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan
(Received 4 January 2023 / Accepted 1 May 2023 / Published 30 June 2023)

Abstract

Low-pressure radiofrequency (rf) plasma sources have been widely used in various fields. When static magnetic fields are applied to these sources, a diverging magnetic field configuration known as a magnetic nozzle forms downstream of the source and interesting phenomena are observed. Such structures are frequently observed in space, e.g., the surface of the Sun and the geomagnetic fields. Here, the studies performed by the authors over the last decade on the fundamental plasma physics, the space plasma propulsion, the industrial plasma technology, and the radiofrequency ion source, are briefly overviewed. The design of sources based on the type of application is an important issue. Integrating a rf plasma source into a system often requires a compact and automatically controlled system, as presented here. Herein, interaction between the low-temperature plasmas and the hot fusion plasmas is sometimes mentioned in terms of “Plasma Apparatus.”

Keywords

radiofrequency plasma, magnetic nozzle, space propulsion, Minimal Fab, ion source

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.18.2501050

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