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Article Dans Une Revue Vacuum Année : 2017

Examination of a 5 A-class cathode with a LaB6 flat disk emitter in the 2 A–20 A current range

Résumé

Cathodes are electron sources used for gas ionization and ion beam neutralization in Hall thrusters. A laboratory model of a 5 A-class cathode has been experimentally studied in the so-called diode configuration with a flat metal anode. The cathode design is based on the direct heating of a flat disk lanthanum hexaboride (LaB 6) insert to emit electrons. The paper presents the characterization of the LaB 6 cathode operated at xenon mass flow rates between 0.2 and 0.6 mg:s À1 with discharge currents ranging from 2 A to 19 A. Electrical parameters and temperature of several parts, including the LaB 6 insert, were collected and analyzed in order to investigate the possibility of operating the cathode in an extended range of discharge current with respect to its nominal condition (5 A at 0.4 mg:s À1). Particular attention was paid to the identification of the discharge mode (spot versus plume) through spectral analysis of discharge current waveforms. Temperature measurements performed with thermocouples reveal that the LaB 6 insert is moderately heated during the cathode operation (about 1600 C at 19 A), except for the lowest mass flow rate.
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Dates et versions

hal-03546669 , version 1 (09-02-2022)

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Romain Joussot, Lou Grimaud, Stéphane Mazouffre. Examination of a 5 A-class cathode with a LaB6 flat disk emitter in the 2 A–20 A current range. Vacuum, 2017, 146, pp.52 - 62. ⟨10.1016/j.vacuum.2017.09.021⟩. ⟨hal-03546669⟩
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