Direct current arc plasma thrusters for space applications: basic physics, design and perspectives

Baranov, Oleg; Levchenko, Igor; Xu, Shuyan; Wang, X. G.; Zhou, Haiping; Bazaka, Kateryna

doi:10.1007/s41614-019-0023-3

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 177 publications

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“…To control the chemistry and density of gas species that are generated at different gas pressures within the same reactor, alternating electric field is applied to excite plasma in radiofrequency (RF) or microwave (MW) plasma discharges [58]. By changing the gas pressure and bias potential, the arc mode of the discharge can be developed [59], when large solid clusters or liquid droplets can be removed from the surface of one material, and moved to another area within the reactor to serve as building blocks for material synthesis or modification [60]. The generated flows φ gen(v,l,s) of the vapour, liquid, or solid material can be related to the initial flows φ in(e,i) of the plasma electrons and ions through the coefficients describing the specified process:…”

Section: Why Plasma?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma meets metamaterials: Three ways to advance space micropropulsion systems

Levchenko

Cherkun

et al. 2020

Advances in Physics: X

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Plasma and metamaterials: what new advances in space micro-propulsion systems can they bring when used together? The aim of this concise review article is to attract attention of the space propulsion scientists and engineers, along with experts working in the fields of micromachines, optics, communication, and other hi-tech devices, to the opportunities that arise from different possible combinations of plasma and metamaterials. Along with plasma-based techniques used for the fabrication of complex metamaterials, we examine two unusual plasma/ metamaterial systems, namely when plasma interacts with a metamaterial, and when plasma itself features some properties of a metamaterial. The fundamental physics behind the principal processes that define the behavior of these systems is briefly outlined. Possible applications in space technology, mainly for micro-propulsion systems for Cubesats and small satellites are also sketched.

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Section: Why Plasma?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma meets metamaterials: Three ways to advance space micropropulsion systems

Levchenko

Cherkun

et al. 2020

Advances in Physics: X

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“…Plasma technology has been found to have profound potential in the sustainable energy [1][2][3][4], space [5][6][7], and defense sector [8,9] as well as in the industrial sector [10,11]. Although there are various types of plasma sources such as glow discharges [12], gliding arc discharges [13,14], corona discharges [15], dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) [16,17], radio-frequency (RF) discharges [18], and microwave (MW) discharges [19,20], MW sources have gained considerable popularity in the sustainable and clean energy sector [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) enhanced diverging magnetic field for controlled particle flux in a microwave-excited plasma column – a numerical investigation

Ojha,

Suvansh,

Pandey

et al. 2024

Phys. Scr.

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The present work is an investigation of the effect of an externally applied diverging magnetic field on a surface microwave-sustained plasma column. Microwaves are allowed to propagate through a tapered waveguide system containing a discharge tube made up of quartz. Argon gas flows down the tube from top to bottom maintaining a pressure of 1 Torr and a plasma is ignited within the tube owing to the surface microwave propagation. In the absence of a magnetic field, the plasma column exhibits discrete regions of overdense plasma near its center where the electric field of the incident microwaves is observed to be high. As the gas flows down the tube, the plasma density is also found to decrease and the resulting plasma profile is asymmetric about its length. However, in the presence of an axial, diverging magnetic field profile, an axial force acts on the plasma, and the discrete overdense plasma regions are found to get symmetrically arranged along the plasma axis. Interesting results are observed when the diverging magnetic field profile possesses an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) corresponding to the microwave frequency. In the presence of an ECR, the electrons are expected to experience resonant heating by microwaves other than direct heating by these waves. Under such conditions, the discharge dynamics are governed by the resonance mechanism, and the bright spots of overdense plasma regions get shifted to the ECR positions. As the magnetic field strength increases, the overdense plasma moves axially away from the center. These results are a clear indication of a magnetically controlled particle flux over a target and can be exploited in various material processing applications, particularly for surface cleaning applications in the semiconductor industries. 

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“…In addition to changing the behavior of biological objects, plasma-enhanced technologies are used extensively in materials processing and engineering [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], where plasma-generated species can act as catalysts in material degradation, as building blocks in material assembly, and as modifiers of surface properties. While in material engineering the ability to control the directional flow of plasma-generated species is primarily used to deliver precise quantities of species to the surface of materials to induce desired material assembly and/or modification, in aerospace engineering [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], devices such as plasma thrusters use a combination of electric and magnetic fields to accelerate and expel plasma at high velocity, producing thrust for satellites [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. In each of these examples, from medicine to space propulsion, the interactions that take place when plasma-generated particles and effects come into contact with matter play a critical role in defining process efficiency and selectivity of the effects that are being induced in this matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma and Polymers: Recent Progress and Trends

Levchenko

Baranov

et al. 2021

Molecules

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Plasma-enhanced synthesis and modification of polymers is a field that continues to expand and become increasingly more sophisticated. The highly reactive processing environments afforded by the inherently dynamic nature of plasma media are often superior to ambient or thermal environments, offering substantial advantages over other processing methods. The fluxes of energy and matter toward the surface enable rapid and efficient processing, whereas the charged nature of plasma-generated particles provides a means for their control. The range of materials that can be treated by plasmas is incredibly broad, spanning pure polymers, polymer-metal, polymer-wood, polymer-nanocarbon composites, and others. In this review, we briefly outline some of the recent examples of the state-of-the-art in the plasma-based polymer treatment and functionalization techniques.

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Direct current arc plasma thrusters for space applications: basic physics, design and perspectives

Cited by 20 publications

References 177 publications

Plasma meets metamaterials: Three ways to advance space micropropulsion systems

Plasma meets metamaterials: Three ways to advance space micropropulsion systems

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) enhanced diverging magnetic field for controlled particle flux in a microwave-excited plasma column – a numerical investigation

Plasma and Polymers: Recent Progress and Trends

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