The effects of secondary electron emission on plasma sheath characteristics and electron transport in an E × B discharge via kinetic simulations
Open accessAbstract
Hall-effect thrusters, which are electrostatic devices based on an E × B plasma discharge, have successfully been used as satellite propulsion systems for the last few decades. However, the presence of anomalous electron cross-field transport is still poorly understood, and involves complex and strongly coupled mechanisms such as azimuthal electron drift instabilities and intense secondary electron emission (SEE) from the thruster walls. The present work focuses on the relative importance of these two phenomena. We use a 2D particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision model configured to simulate the radial-azimuthal directions near the thruster exit plane. A constant radial magnetic field and axial electric field are imposed, and electron drift instabilities are observed in the azimuthal ( E × B ) direction. A simplified SEE model is implemented and an extensive parametric study is performed to directly determine the effect on electron transport. It is found that, for the operating conditions used in our simulations, SEE enhances the near-wall electron mobility by a factor 2, while reducing the bulk plasma mobility by about 20% (due to electron cooling). However, the dominant contribution to anomalous electron transport is still observed to be caused by electron drift instabilities driven by the E × B discharge configuration. SEE modifies the electron mobility profile, but the spatially-averaged value remains relatively constant. Three different operating regimes are identified depending on the SEE rate value: two that are stable, and a third which shows an oscillatory behaviour. In addition to electron transport, the kinetic simulations give new insight into the plasma sheath formation at the radial walls, and comparison with typical analytical sheath models demonstrate important differences.
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Therefore, such discharges are often modeled by two-fluid or hybrid descriptions.
“Therefore, such discharges are often modeled either by the two-fluid 109-112 or by hybrid 21,27 (fluid for electrons and particle for ions, see Sec. IV A) descriptions.”
From Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms (2023) · cites this paper as [112]
The citation is attached to the hybrid-description examples, but Section 2.1 identifies this paper’s model as a 2D-3V particle-in-cell/Monte-Carlo simulation, not a hybrid model with fluid electrons and particle ions. The Introduction mentions other fluid simulations; it does not describe this study as hybrid. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Cites
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Physics of E <b>×</b> B discharges relevant to plasma propulsion and similar technologies
Kaganovich, I. D., Smolyakov, A., Raitses, Y., Ahedo, E., Mikellides, I. G., Jorns, B., Taccogna, F., Gueroult, R., Tsikata, S., Bourdon, A., et al. (2020) · Physics of Plasmas · doi:10.1063/5.0010135 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Self-citationLatest progress in Hall thrusters plasma modelling
Taccogna, F., & Garrigues, L. (2019) · Reviews of Modern Plasma Physics · doi:10.1007/s41614-019-0033-1 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms
Taccogna, F., Cichocki, F., Eremin, D., Fubiani, G., & Garrigues, L. (2023) · Journal of Applied Physics · doi:10.1063/5.0153862 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
- Authors
- Tavant, A., Croes, V., Lucken, R., Lafleur, T., Bourdon, A., & Chabert, P.
- Affiliations
- Université Paris-Sud (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Tavant, Antoine
- Venue
- Plasma Sources Science and Technology
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2018-12-01
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 124001
- ISSN
- 0963-0252 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6595
- OpenAlex
- W2898999439
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Plasma Sources Science and Technology (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-16-CHIN-003-01)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Vacuum and Plasma Arcs
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Magnetic confinement fusion research
- Keywords
- secondary electron emission, Hall thruster, anomalous electron transport, plasma sheath, electron mobility, electron cooling, particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision simulation, satellite propulsion
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