Bochum 2015 – scientific programme

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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik

P 9: Diagnostics I

P 9.4: Talk

Tuesday, March 3, 2015, 11:50–12:05, HZO 30

Optical Plasma Diagnostics of a RIT-4 Ion Source Operating with Xenon — •Julian Kaupe and Slobodan Mitic — I. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen

The recent trend towards miniaturization in the field of electric space propulsion emphasizes the need to apply non-invasive diagnostic techniques to gridded ion thrusters of the RIT family developed at Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen. In order to develop and test optical plasma diagnostic methods a gridded RIT-4 ion thruster was modified in a way to grant optical access to the thruster plasma by attaching a pair of optical fibers to the extraction grid system. The thruster plasma was then characterized by emission spectroscopy in the optical range as well as absorption spectroscopy in the near IR was performed. Densities of the 1s-multiplet of xenon were calculated from self-absorption of the plasma emissions and compared with laser absorption measurements. This data was used as an input parameter for a line ratio model in order to estimate the electron temperature of the thruster at different points of operation. It is assumed that the techniques developed for the comparably small RIT-4 thruster with a vessel diameter of only 4cm can also be applied to other members of the RIT family with non or small modifications.