Anode geometry influence on LaB6 cathode discharge characteristics

Abstract

The characterization of an electric propulsion device cathode is performed in the so-called diode configuration with an external anode. The anode acts as a physical boundary for the cathode plasma discharge; therefore, it influences cathode operation and performances. In this study, four different anodes - namely, a disk, a plate, a long cylinder, and a short cylinder - have been used with a flat disk LaB6 emitter 5 A-class cathode to examine the anode geometry impact on cathode discharge properties. Current-voltage curves, discharge oscillations, electron parameters, and ion velocities have been measured for currents in the 2 A to 12 A range and xenon mass flow rates varied from 0.4 mg/s to 1 mg/s with a fixed cathode-to-anode distance. The set of results clearly supports the fact that the anode geometry strongly influences the cathode characteristics both at the macroscopic and the microscopic scale.