Abstract
Electrostatic ion acceleration across a diverging magnetic field, which is generated by a solenoid coil, permanent magnets, and a yoke between an upstream ring anode and a downstream off-axis hollow cathode, is investigated. The cathode is set in an almost magnetic-field-free region surrounded by a cusp. Inside the ring anode, an insulating wall is set to form an annular slit through which the working gas is injected along the anode inner surface, so the ionization of the working gas is enhanced there. By supplying 1.0 Aeq of argon as working gas with a discharge voltage of 225 V, the ion beam energy reached about 60% of a discharge voltage. In spite of this unique combination of electrodes and magnetic field, a large electrical potential drop is formed almost in the axial direction, located slightly upstream of the magnetic-field-free region. The ion beam current almost equals the equivalent working gas flow rate. These ion acceleration characteristics are useful for electric propulsion in space.
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