Xia Guangqing, Xu Zongqi, Zou Cunzuo, et al. PIC simulation of double layer formation in helicon plasma thruster[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams, 2015, 27: 115104. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB201527.115104
Citation:
Xia Guangqing, Xu Zongqi, Zou Cunzuo, et al. PIC simulation of double layer formation in helicon plasma thruster[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams, 2015, 27: 115104. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB201527.115104
Xia Guangqing, Xu Zongqi, Zou Cunzuo, et al. PIC simulation of double layer formation in helicon plasma thruster[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams, 2015, 27: 115104. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB201527.115104
Citation:
Xia Guangqing, Xu Zongqi, Zou Cunzuo, et al. PIC simulation of double layer formation in helicon plasma thruster[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams, 2015, 27: 115104. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB201527.115104
A one-dimensional full particle PIC model of the double-layer plasma forming process in helicon plasma thruster is established. A kind of electron heating model and plasma expansion model are discussed. And the distribution of double-layer plasma in helicon plasma thruster under different conditions is calculated. The results show that the double-layer plasma can be produced with argon under the condition of RF current of 90 A/m2 and working pressure of 0.05-0.15 Pa. The density is 1.31015-2.81015 m-3 and the potential drop of double-layer plasma is 10-30 V, which can accelerate argon ion beam to 3-12 km/s. Consequently, the double-layer acceleration effect can affect the performance of the thruster.