초록 ▼

An electrostatic ion jet source design, based on inertial electrostatic confinement technology. According to the invention, the inertial electrostatic confinement jet source employs a configuration that is compatible with the generation and acceleration of ions within a vacuum chamber. The device us

An electrostatic ion jet source design, based on inertial electrostatic confinement technology. According to the invention, the inertial electrostatic confinement jet source employs a configuration that is compatible with the generation and acceleration of ions within a vacuum chamber. The device uses a unique spherical configuration, enlarged hole grid, channel guide grid and electron production/confinement method. The prior art designs have to produce a small diameter jet. Virtual cathode formation in a high-density region, combined with a locally distorted cathode grid potential field, extracts accelerated ions in an intense quasi-neutral ion jet. The device ejects matter with a jet form for use as an industrial plasma spray, industrial material processing, waste treatment, welding or cutting materials, or for plasma vapor deposition. The invention also concerns a device that can provide a propulsive thrust force for spacecraft propulsion, particularly an ion jet thruster, which uses an inertial electrostatic confinement design having a discharge plasma for generating ions that provide thrust when accelerated and expelled from the device in the plasma jet.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed:] [1.] Apparatus for generating a propulsive plasma jet comprising:a. a first conductive structure formed to operate as a gas containment vessel with a wall portion having at least a first opening to allow a plasma jet to escape from within said chamber and create a propulsive thru

[ What is claimed:] [1.] Apparatus for generating a propulsive plasma jet comprising:a. a first conductive structure formed to operate as a gas containment vessel with a wall portion having at least a first opening to allow a plasma jet to escape from within said chamber and create a propulsive thrust;b. a second conductive structure formed as a grid within said first conductive structure and being highly transparent to flowing ions and electrons, said second conductive structure being operative to act like a cathode when biased to a negative voltage and having a second opening in said grid-type structure, said second opening being enlarged and operative to distort a local electrical potential surface such that a plasma jet flows out from inside the grid through said second opening;c. means for flowing at a controlled rate a neutral gas propellant into said gas containment vessel;d. a high-voltage feed-through insulator system which provides electrical power at a negative voltage from a power source to said cathode grid at a value sufficient to create a plasma discharge;e. said first opening in said first conductive structure being aligned with said second opening the said second conductive structure to allow plasma formed within said vessel to emerge from the vessel as a plasma jet having a power density and thrust;wherein said first conductive structure is biased at one of ground or a zero electrical voltage and said second conductive structure is biased to a negative potential.