On the microscopic mechanism of ion-extraction of a gridded ion propulsion thruster

TL;DR

This paper develops a microscopic particle-based model to explain how ion extraction occurs in gridded ion thrusters, providing a theoretical foundation for understanding and improving ion propulsion devices.

Contribution

It introduces a microscopic physical model of ion extraction in electrostatic thrusters, applicable to various thruster types, enhancing the understanding of thrust generation mechanisms.

Findings

Provides a particle-level visualization of ion extraction

Establishes a theoretical basis for experimental studies

Generalizes to all electrostatic ion thrusters

Abstract

The following paper includes a physical microscopic particle-description of the phenomena and mechanisms that lead to the extraction of ions with the aim to generate thrust. This theoretical treatise arose from the intention to visualize the behavior of the involved particles under effect of the involved electrical fields. By this way, an underlying basis for experimental investigations of the work of an ion thruster should be formed. So a foundation was created, which explains the ion extracting and so thrust generating function of an ion thruster. The theoretical work was related to the Radio-frequency Ion Thruster (RIT). But the model worked out can be generalized for all thruster types that use electrostatic fields to extract positively charged ions.