Fluid modeling of inductively coupled iodine plasma for electric propulsion conditions

In this paper, an overview is given of modeling activities going on in our research group, for describing the plasma chemistry and plasma–surface interactions in reactive plasmas. The plasma chemistry is calculated by a fluid approach or by hybrid Monte Carlo (MC)–fluid modeling. An example of both is illustrated in the first part of the paper. The example of fluid modeling is given for a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in CH4/O2, to describe the partial oxidation of CH4 into value-added chemicals. The example of hybrid MC–fluid modeling concerns an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch reactor in Ar/Cl2/O2, including also the description of the etch process. The second part of the paper deals with the treatment of plasma–surface interactions on the atomic level, with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations or a combination of MD and MC simulations.

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Fabrication of an Inductively Coupled Plasma Antenna in LTCC

Additional Conferences (Device Packaging HiTEC HiTEN & CICMT) ◽

10.4071/cicmt-2011-wa14 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 (CICMT) ◽

pp. 000172-000176

Author(s):

J. Taff ◽

M. Yates ◽

C. Lee ◽

S. Shawver ◽

J. Browning ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Force ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Thin Sheet ◽

Direct Write ◽

State University ◽

Propulsion Systems ◽

Inductively Coupled ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

And Performance

With the size reduction of satellites, the need for miniaturized propulsion systems is increasing. This has led to research funding for the miniaturization of chemical and electric propulsion by NASA and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Miniaturized electric propulsion research has been an active area of interest recently. Electric propulsion systems are interesting candidates for miniaturization due to efficiency and the reduction in onboard propellant and the ability to apply existing techniques in electronic fabrication. A miniature electrostatic thruster is being developed in LTCC at Boise State University. The thruster is composed of an antenna to create the plasma, a cylinder to contain the plasma and grids to extract the plasma beam at high velocity. In this work, the development of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) antenna in LTCC will be presented. This antenna is fabricated using DuPont's 951 Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC). A Direct Write is used to apply silver paste for the spiral ICP antenna. Using LTCC allows for the antenna to be embedded in the device under a thin sheet of LTCC dielectric, which protects the antenna from ion back bombardment during operation. This thin sheet is the seventh layer of the total device, with the ICP antenna one layer below the top. The design of the antenna is based on the research done by J. Hopwood. This paper discusses the fabrication and performance of the ICP antennas in LTCC. These ICP antennas are operated at pressures from 10 mTorr to 1 Torr with radio frequencies (RF) of 500 MHz to 1 GHz to inductively couple with low pressure argon to produce plasma. The performance of the antennas will be verified with data showing the start and stop power of the plasma at various pressures and an electric field map of the RF field above the antenna.

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Parallel fluid modeling of a dome-shape inductively coupled plasma reactor with fluorocarbon precusor

2012 Abstracts IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science ◽

10.1109/plasma.2012.6383391 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Y.-M. Chiu ◽

C.-T. Hung ◽

J.-S. Wu ◽

Feng-Nan Hwang

Keyword(s):

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Plasma Reactor ◽

Fluid Modeling ◽

Inductively Coupled ◽

Inductively Coupled Plasma Reactor ◽

Dome Shape

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Simulation investigation of inductively coupled plasma generator for atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion system

Acta Astronautica ◽

10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.06.044 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peng Zheng ◽

Jianjun Wu ◽

Yu Zhang ◽

Bixuan Che ◽

Jian Li

Keyword(s):

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Plasma Generator ◽

Propulsion System ◽

Inductively Coupled ◽

Electric Propulsion System

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Rendez vous with Saturn's rings

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100101885 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 743-759 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kerry T. Nock

Keyword(s):

Solar Energy ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Power Source ◽

Propulsion System ◽

Low Thrust ◽

Ring Plane ◽

The Earth ◽

Total Impulse ◽

Saturn's Rings

ABSTRACTA mission to rendezvous with the rings of Saturn is studied with regard to science rationale and instrumentation and engineering feasibility and design. Future detailedin situexploration of the rings of Saturn will require spacecraft systems with enormous propulsive capability. NASA is currently studying the critical technologies for just such a system, called Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP). Electric propulsion is the only technology which can effectively provide the required total impulse for this demanding mission. Furthermore, the power source must be nuclear because the solar energy reaching Saturn is only 1% of that at the Earth. An important aspect of this mission is the ability of the low thrust propulsion system to continuously boost the spacecraft above the ring plane as it spirals in toward Saturn, thus enabling scientific measurements of ring particles from only a few kilometers.

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