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Francis F. Chen
1.0
12
0.5
PROBE
Achieved n > 1.7 x 1012 cm-3, uniform to s3%, but large magnet is required.
F.F. Chen, J.D. Evans, and G.R. Tynan, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 10, 236 (2001)
Internal field
z (cm)
10
QUARTZ TUBE
7 cm
20
BNC connector
17 mm
ANTENNA
1 cm
5 mm
30
MAGNET WINDING
1 cm
A small solenoid
PVC PIPE
5 cm
Internal field
External field
External field
Calculated Measured
Internal field
10 15 z (cm) 20 25 30
7 6 5 n (1010 cm-3) 4
500W, 1 mTorr
D (cm) 3 2 1 0 -5 0 5 r (cm) 10 15 20
Z2, 40 Z2, 35 Z2, 30 Z2, 21 Z2, 1
Helicon m = 1 antennas
Only the RH polarized wave is strongly excited
RH helical antenna: RH wave is driven only in the direction matching the antennas helicity.
A long antenna requires a long tube, and plasma goes to wall before it gets out.
An m = 0 loop antenna can generate plasma near the exit aperture. Note the skirt that minimizes eddy currents in the flange.
1.4 B(G) 1.2 1.0 R (ohms) 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 1E+11 100.0 63.1 39.8 25.1 15.8 10.0 L=2", 1mTorr, conducting
Low-field peak
The peak occurs when the backward wave is reflected to interfere constructively with the forward wave.
n (cm-3) 1E+12 1E+13
R is the plasma resistance, which determines the RF power absorbed by the plasma,
1 [ n w a kZ B
The code computes the wave fields and the plasma loading resistance Rp vs. n and B
Low-field peak
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
R (ohms)
1.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.0 1E+11
1E+12 n (cm-3)
1E+13
1E+12 n (cm-3)
1E+13
Pin ! Prf
Rp R p Rc
1000 Prf (W) 1000 500 200 100 Loss Pin (W) 100 Unstable equilibrium Stable equilibrium
Rp
Rc : Pin } Prf
Rp Rc
w Rp
10 1E+11 1000 n0 (cm-3)
No helicon ignition
Rc = 1.0 ;
1E+12 1E+13
Stable equilibria
Pin (W)
Rc = 0.1 ;
10 1E+11 n0 (cm-3) 1E+12
1E+13
RF circuitry
For equal power distribution, the sources are connected in parallel with equal cable lengths. The problem is that the cable lengths, therefore, cannot be short. The length Z2 and the antenna inductance L are the most critical.
Staggered configuration
Compact configuration
The spacing is determined from the single-tube density profiles to give 2% uniformity
Side view
Aluminum sheet Adjustable height
Z1 Z2
Probe ports
The source requires only 6 of vertical space above the process chamber
Medusa 2 in operation at 3 kW CW
n KTe
n (10
11
0 r (cm)
10
15
20
25
8 n (10 cm )
11
-3
4
Z1, Z1, Z2, Z2, x= x= x= x= 0 3.5 0 3.5
0 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 y (in) 2 4 6 8
UCLA
5 4 cm )
-3
x (in.)
3 2 1 0 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 y (in.) 2 4 6
-7 0 7 14
-7 0 7 14
n (10
11
UCLA
0.25 4.0"
0.375
H. Torreblanca, Multitube helicon source with permanent magnets, Thesis, UCLA (2008).
UCLA
5 4 n (1011 cm-3) 3 2 1 0 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 x (in.) 8 10 12 14 16 Staggered, 2kW , D=7", 20mTorr y (in.) -3.5 0 3.5
8 n (1011 cm -3)
0 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 x (in.) 8 10 12 14 16
UCLA
0.40 R (ohms)
0.30
0.3
0.20
0.2
0.10
0.1
0.00 1E+10
n (cm-3)
0.0 1E+10
n (cm-3)
1E+11
1E+12
0.4 R (ohms)
0.4 R (ohms)
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.0 1E+10
n (cm-3)
1E+11
1E+12
0.0 1E+10
n (cm-3)
1E+11
1E+12
[LH !
Hydrogen Argon
2 [c
2 ;ci
[ n kB w kz B
The lower hybrid frequency [LH) is 6.5 times higher for H than for Ar and is not << [(RF). To neglect ion motions, need to have [(RF) >> [(LH). Need to decrease B to have lower [(LH), but low B means bad coupling, like ICPs. Since kB is same if we keep 2 diam tube, we have to increase [(RF) and change n and kz.
1 1 1 } 2 2 [LH [c ;c ; p
The last term is negligible except at very low density, so [LH is proportional to B/M. In simple helicons, [ is >> [LH and ;c, so the ions cannot move with the RF. When [LH approaches [RF, the ions will move and contribute to the helicon current. Scime et al. have seen increased ion temperatures when [ ~ [LH, but HELIC does not show any great effect there. At [LH, the ion and electron orbits B to B look like this: The blue line is the ion cyclotron orbit, which has been distorted by the LH wave. The red line is the orbit of the electron guiding-center E x B drift. The cyclotron orbits of the electrons is too small to see.
0.8 R (ohms)
0.8 R (ohms)
0.6
0.6
0.4
0.2
27.12 MHz
0.2
0.0 1E+11
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
0.0 1E+11
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
1.0
0.8 R (ohms)
0.8
0.6
0.6
0.2
0.2
0.0 1E+11
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
0.0 1E+11
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
There are stable solutions, but n has to be high, requiring LOTS of power.
to get an idea of how the discharges behave in the standard 2 diam tube
0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 R (ohms) R (ohms) 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 1E+11 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 R (ohms) R (ohms) 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 1E+11 B (G) 75 50 25 n (cm-3) 1E+12 1E+13 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 1E+11 B (G) 125 100 75 H = 2" Hydrogen, 27.12 MHz B (G) 75 50 25 n (cm-3) 1E+12 1E+13 H = 2" Argon, 13.56 MHz 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 1E+11 1.6 1.4 H = 3" Hydrogen, 27.12 MHz B (G) 100 75 50 H = 3" Argon, 13.56 MHz
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
n (cm-3)
1E+12
1E+13
* *
1E+12
n (cm-3)
1E+13
0 -1.00
-0.95
z(m)
-0.90
-0.85
0.028 0.024 0.020 P(k) (arb.) 0.016 0.012 0.008 0.004 Hydrogen, 50G, 3E11 @ 27.12 MHz Argon @ 13.56 100G, 1.6E12 40 G, 6.3E11 50G, 3E11
3000
P(r) (arb.)
2000
1000
0 0.000
Here P(z) and P(r) are the power deposition profiles in z and r, and P(k) is the power spectrum. The cases are at two low-field peaks, and the spectrum is almost a pure mode. The dashed line is the location of the antenna.
0.004
4 Hydrogen Argon
3 P(z) (arb.)
This compares the profiles for argon and hydrogen in the same 2 x 2 tube and at the same conditions: B = 50G and n = 3 x 1011 cm-3. However, f = 13.56 MHz for argon and 27.12 MHz for hydrogen.
0.01
Both are near density peak, but conducting case has pure mode.
7 6 R = 1.67 ; 5 4 P(z) R = 1.41 ; 3 2 1 0 -1.00 140G, 1.3E12 H (in.), endplate 1.5", conduct. 3.5", insul.
P(r) is dominated by the TG mode and does not vary much. P(z) peaks near the antenna (dashed line in each case). High P near endplate is not good, since plasma created there is lost fast. The k-spectrum is pure for H = 1.5 but has other modes for H = 3.5, as seen by the wiggles in the RnB curve on the last page.
-0.95
z (m)
-0.90
-0.85
-0.80
R = 0.87;
The short tube has higher P(z), but it is high near the endplate. The electric field |Ez|, however, fits properly , whereas it is too short for the 3 tube. The maximum of Ez at the endplate causes strong reflection, which gives a higher low-field peak. Thus, the short tube is better even though a lot of useless ionization occurs near the endplate. This shows that computing Ez may be the best way to fit the tube length to the halfwavelength of the helicon wave and optimize the loading.
A Hall-effect thruster
It requires an electron neutralizer
B n r0 ! ! B0 n0 r
ne ! n0 e L , where L | -eV/KTe
The Bohm velocity is reached when L = , and sheath forms
r ! e1/4 ! 1.28 r0
The optimized 9-cm diam source is shown with dimensions in cm, together with a NdFeB magnet designed for 400G at the antenna. D is the distance from the midplane of the magnet to the midplane of the antenna. The magnet is made in two pieces supported by a non-ferrous metal plate. The B-field can be adjusted by changing D either by hand or remotely with a motor.
Layout of magnet and tube for 600G operation, showing a gas feed line and a DC bias supply.
A 5-cm diam helicon tube and a 600-G magnet designed for a small overall system diameter.
Ambipolar sources can eject ions with automatic space-charge neutralization. Helicon sources can generate ions efficiently. Permanent magnets can reduce the complexity of helicon sources. However, for the fields and densities considered for the VASIMR project, the magnet may be too large to be practical.