Open AccessPerformance comparison of LaB6 and C12A7:e-emitters for space electric propulsion cathodes
Author(s) -
J. Toledo,
Jorge Plaza,
A. Post,
Daniel Zschätzsch,
M. Reitemeyer,
L Chen,
Antonio Gurciullo,
A Siegl,
Peter J. Klar,
Paul Lascombes,
Bernhard Seifert
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/1226/1/012093
Subject(s) - thermionic emission , common emitter , cathode , materials science , electrically powered spacecraft propulsion , spacecraft propulsion , propulsion , engineering physics , nuclear engineering , oxide , plasma , optoelectronics , electron , analytical chemistry (journal) , electrical engineering , aerospace engineering , chemistry , physics , engineering , nuclear physics , metallurgy , chromatography
This work, based on an EU-funded project, NEMESIS, is aiming at developing electride-based cathode technology which is compatible with all kinds of electric propulsion systems requiring neutralization. Its target is to demonstrate and validate the performance of a novel C12A7:e-electride material as electron emitter instead of traditional thermionic emitters such as lanthanum hexaboride, LaBe, or barium oxide, BaO. In this study, a fair comparison between LaBe and C12A7:e-samples was performed both addressing pure material characterization parameters as well as comparing performance as cathodes under different architectures and operational conditions. In this case, a current/cathode power ratio around 3 mA/W was obtained when using the C12A7:e-sample in a plasma environment with Ar, which is approximately one order of magnitude higher compared to the LaB 6 sample.