Plasma accelerating apparatus and plasma accelerating method

A plasma accelerating apparatus, comprising:

• a coil circumscribing a central region disposed therein;
• a supply passage disposed to cross the central region of the coil, and configured to supply plasma from upstream of the coil to downstream of the coil through the central region;
• a cathode disposed downstream of the coil;
• an anode disposed upstream of the cathode;
• a voltage applying unit configured to generate a first electric field between the cathode and the anode;
• and
• a magnetic flux collection body disposed downstream of the coil,
• wherein the coil generates an axial direction magnetic field in the central region of the coil, and generates a magnetic flux which reaches a downstream position of the coil and the magnetic flux collection body, the magnetic flux having a radial direction component at the downstream position,
• wherein the plasma supplied through the supply passage is accelerated with a Hall electric field generated through interaction of electrons emitted from the cathode, the radial direction component, and the first electric field,
• wherein the magnetic flux collection body is configured to direct the magnetic flux generated by the coil toward a downstream side of the magnetic flux collection body from the downstream position, and
• wherein the axial direction magnetic field and a second electric field cooperate to generate the plasma.