We are excited to announce the publication of our latest paper “Ion current and energy in the magnetic arch of a cluster of two ECR plasma sources”, published in the Journal of Electric Propulsion.
The article introduces and tests the feasibility of a breakthrough concept: the Magnetic Arch (MA) topology. Expanding on a previous patent of our group, our PhD candidate Célian Boyé created a plasma acceleration system with lower plume divergence and zero magnetic dipole moment by pairing two ECR sources with opposing magnetic polarities.
Through experimental validation we demonstrate that the MA configuration yields comparable ion current density and reduced plume spread compared to single or same-polarity configurations. While ion energy is slightly lower in the MA topology, the trade-offs in efficiency and modularity open new pathways for multi-thruster systems. Our findings are promising not only for applications related to MN-based thrusters for space propulsion, but also for possible applications in plasma manufacturing and material processing.
Check out the full open access paper here.
