Raymond S. Robinson

Physics of closed drift thrusters

Closed drift thrusters are reviewed. The publications on these thrusters constitute a large body of information. This article can therefore include only the most prominent theoretical and experimental features of closed drift thrusters. In some regards, this article is also an attempted synthesis of the differing views of these thrusters found in literature, as well as in our own work. In a closed drift thruster, the electric field that accelerates the ions is established by an electron current that passes through and is impeded by a magnetic field. The precessing electrons in this magnetic field follow a closed drift path giving this thruster its name. Closed drift thrusters are divided into magnetic layer and anode layer types, based both on the geometrical and material differences in the discharge channels of the two types, and on the different physical processes that take place within the discharge plasma. Considered as a whole, the publications on closed drift thrusters constitute an impressive body of information that, for the most part, was generated in Russia independently of US research on electric thrusters.

Broad-beam electron source

A broad-beam electron source has a chamber into which is introduced an ionizing gas. Electrons are emitted between a cathode and an anode assembly to ionize that gas. The electrons within the plasma are drawn outwardly from the chamber through an apertured wall, which constitutes a screen, and thereafter are accelerated toward a target in a well-directed beam. A comparatively copious supply of electrons is developed, while yet requiring only low voltages in connection with its generation and resulting in correspondingly low electron energies. Ions produced external to the electron source itself are utilized to assist in neutralizing the charge density of the electron beam in order to help maintain its definition. For insulative targets, secondarily emitted electrons permit conservation of surface charge.

Ion beam texturing of surfaces

Textured surfaces, typically with conical structures, have been produced previously by simultaneously etching a surface and seeding that surface with another material. A theory based on surface diffusion predicts a variation in cone spacing with surface temperature, as well as a critical temperature below which cones will not form. Substantial agreement with theory has been found for several combinations of seed and surface materials, including one with a high sputter yield seed on a low sputter yield surface (gold on aluminum). Coning with this last combination was predicted by the theory for a sufficiently mobile seed material. The existence of a minimum temperature for the formation of cones should also be important to those interested in ion‐beam machining smooth surfaces. Elements contained in the environmental contaminants or in the sputtered alloys or compounds may serve as seed material.

Plasma processes in inert gas thrusters

Inert gas thrusters, particularly with large diameters, have continued to be of interest for space propulsion applications. Two plasma processes are treated in this study: electron diffusion across magnetic fields and double ion production in inert-gas thrusters. A model is developed to describe electron diffusion across a magnetic field that is driven by both density and potential gradients, with Bohm diffusion used to predict the diffusion rate. This model has applications to conduction across magnetic fields inside a discharge chamber, as well as through a magnetic baffle region used to isolate a hollow cathode from the main chamber. A theory for double ion production is presented, which is not as complete as the electron diffusion theory described, but it should be a useful tool for predicting double ion sputter erosion. Correlations are developed that may be used, without experimental data, to predict double ion densities for the design of new and especially larger ion thrusters.

Broad-beam ion source technology and applications

Abstract The technology of broad-beam ion sources, both gridded and gridless, is briefly reviewed. The thin-film applications of these sources are also briefly reviewed, with emphasis on those at less than 2000 eV. Conventional etching and deposition applications are included, as well as more recent properly-modification applications.

Thirty-eight-centimeter ion source

Abstract The 38-cm ion source was developed for large capacity production applications. The ion-beam current of this source is the largest presently available from a single source at ion-etching energies. The performance of the 38-cm ion source is described, together with its etching and deposition applications. Also included is a description of the development program for the ion source and its controller, along with the objectives and major considerations of this development program.

Probe for measuring ion beam angular distribution

A new type of ion beam probe is described that measures the angular distribution of energetic ions and, through their sputtering effects, energetic neutrals as well. This probe does not require either complicated motion actuators or very sensitive electrical measurements in the adverse environment of an ion beam, but instead performs the measurement through the sputter etching of a multilayer sample with contrasting metal colors. This probe was tested and found to provide a half‐width at half‐maximum reproducibility of about ±0.3 deg. After use, the probe sample provides a permanent record of the angular distribution of the ion beam at the target location tested. Because no electrical contacts are required, the probe can even be attached to a moving stage to measure the effective angular distribution of an ion beam while being carried through a complicated planetary pattern. Using this probe, the low divergence and paraxial beam from an ion source with 30 cm flat graphite grids were documented. This probe...

Thruster Technology Applied to a 30-cm Multipole Sputtering Ion Source

A 30-cm electron bombardment ion source has been designed and fabricated for micromachining and sputtering applications. This source has a multipole magnetic field that employs permanent magnets between permeable pole pieces. An average ion current density of 1 mA/cm with 500 eV argon ions was selected as a design operating condition. The ion beam at this operating condition was uniform and well collimated, with an average variation of ± 5% over the center 20 cm of the beam at a distance up to 30 cm from the ion source.