3-D PLUME CHARACTERIZATION OF A FEEP THRUSTER

This paper presents the design of a novel system for ion beam scanning. The system is equipped with a set of electrostatic probes mounted on a metallic frame that can be positioned in front of the thruster at controlled locations. The first results of experimental investigations made on a 100 micronewton FEEP emitter may suggest that the plume geometry is influenced by space charge effects at macroscopic distances from the thruster’s exit plane.