Nonlinear ion dynamics in Hall thruster plasma source by ion transit-time instability

Youbong Lim (1) , Wonho Choe (1) , Stéphane Mazouffre (2) , Jae Sun Park (1) , Holak Kim (1) , Jongho Seon (1) , Laurent Garrigues (3)

1 KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
2 ICARE - Institut de Combustion, Aérothermique, Réactivité et Environnement
3 LAPLACE-GREPHE - Groupe de Recherche Energétique, Plasmas et Hors Equilibre

High-energy tail formation in an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) is explained in a Hall thruster plasma with the stationary crossed electric and magnetic fields whose discharge current is oscillated at the ion transit-time scale with a frequency of 360 kHz. Among ions in different charge states, singly charged Xe ions (Xe +) have an IEDF that is significantly broadened and shifted toward the high-energy side, which contributes to tail formation in the entire IEDF. Analytical and numerical investigations confirm that the IEDF tail is due to nonlinear ion dynamics in the ion transit-time oscillation.

Mots clés: IEDF; high-energy tail; crossed-field discharge; ion transit-time instability; nonlinear ion dynamics; Hall thruster

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]

Youbong Lim, Wonho Choe, Stéphane Mazouffre, Jae Sun Park, Holak Kim, et al.. Nonlinear ion dynamics in Hall thruster plasma source by ion transit-time instability. Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 2017, 26 (3), pp.03LT01. ⟨10.1088/1361-6595/aa58d9⟩. ⟨hal-02326832⟩