Perspectives on Physics of ExB Discharges Relevant to Plasma Propulsion and Similar Technologies

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in understanding ExB discharges used in plasma propulsion, focusing on physics, instabilities, and transport phenomena, and highlights future research directions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive perspective on the physics of ExB discharges, integrating recent computational results and identifying key questions for future study.

Findings

Insights into plasma-wall interactions and instabilities

Understanding of anomalous transport mechanisms

Identification of critical research questions

Abstract

This paper provides perspectives on recent progress in the understanding of the physics of devices where the external magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to the discharge current. This configuration generates a strong electric field, which acts to accelerates ions. The many applications of this set up include generation of thrust for spacecraft propulsion and the separation of species in plasma mass separation devices. These ExB plasmas are subject to plasma-wall interaction effects as well as various micro and macro instabilities, and in many devices, we observe the emergence of anomalous transport. This perspective presents the current understanding of the physics of these phenomena, state-of-the-art computational results, identifies critical questions, and suggests directions for future research