High Dynamic Range Retarding Potential Analyzer Operation Verification

• Published in: Plasma physics reports 2024-09, Vol.50 (9), p.1142-1157
• Main Authors: Maystrenko, D. A., Shagayda, A. A., Kravchenko, D. A., Tomilin, D. A., Selivanov, M. Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic; Dynamic range; Electric propulsion; Error analysis; Hall effect; Ion current density; Ion currents; Ion energy distribution; Molecular; Numerical models; Optical and Plasma Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plasma Diagnostics; Retarding
• ISSN: 1063-780X; 1562-6938
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X24601135

Probe diagnostics of ion energy distribution and ion current density in the plasma plume of electric propulsion is considered. A detailed numerical and experimental comparison is presented of a new, high dynamic range retarding potential analyzer (HDR RPA) and a conventional gridded RPA probe applied to a plume of a hall effect thruster (HET) operating in different modes. Simulations show the disadvantages of the gridded retarding potential analyzer design and the advantages of the HDR RPA. By means of numerical modeling, the peculiarities of using the HDR RPA are also investigated in detail and preliminary conclusions regarding the probe accuracy are drawn. The final part of the paper shows the results of joint tests of the two probes at those plasma parameters where the gridded probe works most accurately, with a confirmed maximum error of 5%.