Device for reducing the impact on a surface section by positively charged ions, and ion accelelerator arrangement
AssigneeThales Electronic Systems GmbH
InventorsHans-Peter Harmann, Norbert Koch, Guenter Kornfeld
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Abstract
The invention relates to a surface section that is exposed to an ion flow, in particular for a drive arrangement in a spacecraft, comprising an electrostatic ion accelerator arrangement. According to the invention, in order to reduce erosion, an intermediate potential energy surface is provided, the surface being advantageous in that it allows a magnetic field that is essentially parallel to the surface section to be formed.
Claims18
Device for reducing the impact on a surface section by positively charged ions, wherein a magnet arrangement is provided, which generates a magnetic field in a spatial region in the direction of the surface normal line of the surface section, in front of it, which field runs predominantly parallel to the surface section.
Ion accelerator arrangement having a device for reducing the impact on a surface section by positively charged ions, having an ionization chamber and a device for ionization of a working gas introduced into the ionization chamber, as well as having an electrode arrangement for electrostatic acceleration of the ions generated by means of a static high voltage and their ejection, as a plasma beam, from a beam exit opening of the ionization chamber, wherein a shielding surface that is laterally offset relative to the exit opening, particularly surrounding it and facing the ejected plasma beam, in operation of the ion acceleration arrangement, lies spatially between the ejected plasma beam and parts that lie at mass potential, particularly outside surfaces of the spacecraft that lie at mass potential, and electrically at a potential that is separated from the mass potential of the spacecraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.