A waveguide ECR plasma cathode is being investigated as a long-lived alternative to thermionic emitter-based electron sources for ion beam neutralization in electric propulsion systems. The present device can deliver up to 4.2 A of electron current, on argon or xenon, with low power consumption and high gas utilization.
Published in:
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
(Volume:39
,
Issue:
11
)
Date of Publication: Nov. 2011