PLASMA CATHODE-COMPENSATOR

摘要

FIELD: plasma engineering; process plasma sources for ion-plasma treatment of material surfaces. ^ SUBSTANCE: proposed cathode-compensator that can be used, for instance, in electric-arc jet engines for neutralizing ion beam has hollow holder 1 with face wall 2 and discharge hole 3 at outlet accommodating hollow capsule 4 with face wall 5 and through hole at outlet enclosed by heater and then by heat shields 8; this capsule accommodates thermal emitter 8 that has solid face wall 10 on one end and at least one working medium passage 11; cathode-compensator also has support insulator 16 and working medium supply pipe 17 communicating with hollow capsule 4; solid face wall of thermal emitter 10 is disposed so that clearance L1 is provided between this wall and face wall 5 of capsule 4 with through hole to form cavity between them; working medium passage 11 is formed in thermal emitter 9 at inlet by at least one blind longitudinal hole and at outlet, by at least one longitudinal slot on side surface of thermal emitter; they are intercommunicating through at least one transverse hole. Diameter d1 of through hole in hollow capsule 4 should be better smaller than diameter d2 of axial hole in thermal emitter 9. Insert 19 made of material of low heat conductivity may be installed between hollow capsule 4 and working medium supply pipe 17. Shield 20 may be installed coaxially to hole 3 of hollow holder 1 with clearance L2 allowed between this shield and face wall 5 of hollow capsule 4. ^ EFFECT: regulated parameters during cathode-compensator turn-on period, enhanced reliability. ^ 4 cl, 2 dwg