Passive optical diagnostic of Xe-propelled Hall thrusters. I. Emission cross sections

This paper presents a set of xenon apparent emission excitation cross sections for emission lines that have diagnostic value in the analysis of Xe-propelled Hall thruster plasmas. Emission cross sections are presented for three excitation processes involving ground-state xenon atoms: e(-)+Xe, Xe++Xe, and Xe2++Xe. The cross sections are derived from luminescence spectra produced at single-collision conditions. Apparent emission excitation cross sections are tabulated for 12 visible and 8 near-infrared lines for electron energies ranging from 10 to 70 eV. In case of the near-infrared lines, radiation trapping effects are accounted for by measuring the detailed pressure dependence of the apparent emission cross sections and extrapolating to zero pressure. A semiempirical expression for the pressure dependence is derived that allows zero-pressure extrapolation from threshold to 70 eV. Ion-induced cross sections are reported for the same emission lines at an energy per unit charge E/q of 300 eV, chosen for typical Hall thruster operating voltages. Radiation trapping effects are negligible for the ion emission excitation cross sections between 0.1 and 2.0 mTorr in the present luminescence experiment. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.