Wide-range characteristics of beam perveance and saddle point potential of LIPS-200 ion thruster

Abstract

Both the long-life and “multimodalized” versions of LIPS-200 ion thruster are under investigation in LIP (Lanzhou Institute of Physics). To confirm the feasible ranges of the beam current and accel (abbreviation for accelaration) grid potential to apply to the thruster, the wide-range beam perveance (the state of beam focus) and saddle point potential (the lowest potential along beamlet centerline) characteristics of LIPS-200 are studied with a test-verified PIC-MCC (Particle in Cell-Monte Carlo Collisions) model. These characteristics are investigated with both the initial and the eroded states of the accel grid aperture diameter. The results show that the feasible ranges of these parameters with respect to perveance / crossover (overfocused) limit extend as the operating time accumulates, while the feasible range of accel grid potential narrows due to a reduced EBSF (electron backstreaming failure) margin. The feasible ranges determined by the initial condition are: (i) the beam current up to 0.981 A, and (ii) the accel grid potential up to -85 V. A 23% enlargement of the aperture diameter would bring up to 48 V of EBSF margin loss.