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Author |
Leigh, S.; Doyle, S.J.; Smith, G.J.; Gibson, A.R.; Boswell, R.W.; Charles, C.; Dedrick, J.P. |
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Title  |
Ionization and neutral gas heating efficiency in radio frequency electrothermal microthrusters : the role of driving frequency |
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A1 Journal article |
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Year |
2024 |
Publication |
Physics of plasmas |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
31 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
023509-23513 |
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Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT) |
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Abstract |
The development of compact, low power, charge-neutral propulsion sources is of significant recent interest due to the rising application of micro-scale satellite platforms. Among such sources, radio frequency (rf) electrothermal microthrusters present an attractive option due to their scalability, reliability, and tunable control of power coupling to the propellant. For micropropulsion applications, where available power is limited, it is of particular importance to understand how electrical power can be transferred to the propellant efficiently, a process that is underpinned by the plasma sheath dynamics. In this work, two-dimensional fluid/Monte Carlo simulations are employed to investigate the effects of applied voltage frequency on the electron, ion, and neutral heating in an rf capacitively coupled plasma microthruster operating in argon. Variations in the electron and argon ion densities and power deposition, and their consequent effect on neutral-gas heating, are investigated with relation to the phase-averaged and phase-resolved sheath dynamics for rf voltage frequencies of 6-108 MHz at 450 V. Driving voltage frequencies above 40.68 MHz exhibit enhanced volumetric ionization from bulk electrons at the expense of the ion heating efficiency. Lower driving voltage frequencies below 13.56 MHz exhibit more efficient ionization due to secondary electrons and an increasing fraction of rf power deposition into ions. Thermal efficiencies are improved by a factor of 2.5 at 6 MHz as compared to the more traditional 13.56 MHz, indicating a favorable operating regime for low power satellite applications. |
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Wos |
001207449000001 |
Publication Date |
2024-02-23 |
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ISSN |
1070-664x |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record |
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Open Access |
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no |
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Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:205506 |
Serial |
9156 |
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Author |
Smith, G.J.; Diomede, P.; Gibson, A.R.; Doyle, S.J.; Guerra, V.; Kushner, M.J.; Gans, T.; Dedrick, J.P. |
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Title |
Low-pressure inductively coupled plasmas in hydrogen : impact of gas heating on the spatial distribution of atomic hydrogen and vibrationally excited states |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
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Year |
2024 |
Publication |
Plasma sources science and technology |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
33 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
025002-25020 |
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Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT) |
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Abstract |
Non-equilibrium inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) operating in hydrogen are of significant interest for applications including large-area materials processing. Increasing control of spatial gas heating, which drives the formation of neutral species density gradients and the rate of gas-temperature-dependent reactions, is critical. In this study, we use 2D fluid-kinetic simulations with the Hybrid Plasma Equipment Model to investigate the spatially resolved production of atomic hydrogen in a low-pressure planar ICP operating in pure hydrogen (10-20 Pa or 0.075-0.15 Torr, 300 W). The reaction set incorporates self-consistent calculation of the spatially resolved gas temperature and 14 vibrationally excited states. We find that the formation of neutral-gas density gradients, which result from spatially non-uniform electrical power deposition at constant pressure, can drive significant variations in the vibrational distribution function and density of atomic hydrogen when gas heating is spatially resolved. This highlights the significance of spatial gas heating on the production of reactive species in relatively high-power-density plasma processing sources. |
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001154851700001 |
Publication Date |
2024-01-15 |
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ISSN |
0963-0252 |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record |
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Impact Factor |
3.8 |
Times cited |
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Open Access |
Not_Open_Access |
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Notes |
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Most recent IF: 3.8; 2024 IF: 3.302 |
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Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:203866 |
Serial |
9054 |
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