Physics of a Small-Size ECR Heating Plasma and its Application to the Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25289304
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KOIZUMI HIROYUKI 東京大学, 新領域創成科学研究科, 准教授 (40361505)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鷹尾 祥典 横浜国立大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80552661)
• Research Collaborator: Naoi T. 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科 ; Inagaki T. 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科 ; Kasagi Y. 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科 ; Kawahara H. 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科 ; Hiramoto K. 横浜国立大学, 大学院工学研究院 ; Nakagawa Y. 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: イオンスラスタ / 小型衛星 / プラズマ / 数値計算 / PIC / ECR

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, space development and utilization have two innovations which are plasma propulsion and small satellite. Ion thrusters using electron cyclotron resonance have attracted attentions, but its plasma behavior inside still need more understanding for further applications. This research developed an Electromagnetic 3D-Full-PIC numerical simulation code by using a miniature plasma source to reveal the plasma physics and enhance its applications. As a result, we obtained two major results: 1) electron transport across the magnetic field is caused by oscillating electric field inside and 2) performance improvement of the thruster and proposal of the new ion thruster using water.

Free Research Field

宇宙推進工学