Charged-Particle Emission and Self-Biasing of a Piezoelectric Transformer Plasma Source

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 99 - 105
• Main Authors: Hutsel, B. T., Kovaleski, S. D., Baxter, E. A., Jae Wan Kwon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-01-2013; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Acceleration; Apertures; Charged particles; Current measurement; Electric potential; Electricity generation; Electrodes; Electron emission; Emission; Emittance; Grounds; ion emission; Ions; Microspacecraft; Piezoelectric devices; Piezoelectricity; Plasma measurements; Plasma sources; Plasmas; Radio frequency; Radio frequency plasma; Retarding; Thrust; Transformers
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2012.2227819

The piezoelectric transformer (PT) plasma source (PTPS) is a compact radio-frequency-driven plasma source developed for near-space and microspacecraft propulsion. The PTPS utilizes the PT effect to aid in plasma production and acceleration of charged particles to create thrust. Charged-particle emission measured with a Faraday cup and a retarding potential analyzer is presented. Low emitted ion energies are explained by self-bias of the PT output due to charged-particle transfer from the plasma to the PT surface. Finally, self-neutralization of the PTPS was investigated for a PTPS isolated from the vacuum chamber ground.