Development of a LaB6 Cathode for Diversified Plasma Simulator(DiPS)

초록

To verify and develop theories of electric probes with magnetic field, collisionality, various particle source, and wide range of plasma parameters, a new versatile linear machine, called DiPS(Diversified Plasma Simulator) has been developed for the divertor edge simulation, space propulsion and electric probe technology and its applications, which has following plasma parameters : density=10^6 - 10^14 (cm)^(-3), electron temperature = 1-10ev, magnetic field=0-2kG, plasma types=RF and DC. For these conditions, the DiPS is developd with two plasma source LaB6(DC) and Helicon plasma(RF). The LaB6 cathode used in DiPS consists of disk-types LaB6 which is indirectly heated by the graphite heater up to 5kW. The discharge voltage and currunt are 1-100 V and 1-50 A, respectively. Helicon plasma source is also developed as a high density rf plasma source in DiPS, which generates the high density plasma with the power of 0-3kw by using m=0 antenna. Optimization procedure of the LaB6 cathode is presented with the discharge parameters such as the discharge current, discharge voltage and the operating pressure.