Design and Application of an Argon-fed 1 A-class Plasma Bridge Neutralizer

The plasma bridge neutralizer (PBN) is one type of electron source. Due to its simple structure and easy operation, PBNs have been used in industrial and electric propulsion fields. However, the range of applications of PBNs is limited by its short service life and low emission current capacity. In this paper, a new ring-tip magnetically confined PBN (RCM-PBN) was designed and tested. The structure optimization of ring-tip magnetic field and orifice plate electrical insulation are adopted, and the anode current was increased to 1200 mA. The effects of mass flow, heating power and anode voltage on anode current have been studied experimentally. It was found that the formation process of the anode spot was related to the increase of anode current with the anode voltage. In addition, the RCM-PBN was used to successfully ignite an external discharge hall thruster (EDHT) with 1.6 sccm mass flow rate and 35 W heater power. A bright and stable plasma discharge was formed near the anode of the XDHT.