A compact lanthanum hexaboride hollow cathode has been developed for space applications where size and mass are important and research and industrial applications where access for implementation might be limited. The cathode design features a refractory metal cathode tube that is easily manufactured, mechanically captured orifice and end plates to eliminate expensive e-beam welding, graphite sleeves to provide a diffusion boundary to protect the LaB6 insert from chemical reactions with the refractory metal tube, and several heater designs to provide long life. The compact hollow cathode assembly including emitter, support tube, heater, and keeper electrode is less than 2 cm in diameter and has been fabricated in lengths of 6–15 cm for different applications. The cathode has been operated continuously at discharge currents of 5–60 A in xenon. Slightly larger diameter versions of this design have operated at up to 100 A of discharge current.
Skip Nav Destination
,
Article navigation
August 2010
Research Article|
August 26 2010
Compact lanthanum hexaboride hollow cathode
Dan M. Goebel;
Dan M. Goebel
a)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Ronald M. Watkins
Ronald M. Watkins
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Dan M. Goebel
a)
Ronald M. Watkins
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 083504 (2010)
Article history
Received:
March 17 2010
Accepted:
July 05 2010
Citation
Dan M. Goebel, Ronald M. Watkins; Compact lanthanum hexaboride hollow cathode. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 August 2010; 81 (8): 083504. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3474921
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Overview of the early campaign diagnostics for the SPARC tokamak (invited)
M. L. Reinke, I. Abramovic, et al.
Automated polarization rotation for multi-axis rotational-anisotropy second harmonic generation experiments
Karna A. Morey, Bryan T. Fichera, et al.
Measurement setup for the characterization of integrated semiconductor circuits at cryogenic temperatures
P. J. Ritter, M.-A. Tucholke, et al.
Related Content
Design of the Lanthanum hexaboride based plasma source for the large plasma device at UCLA
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (August 2023)
A new large area lanthanum hexaboride plasma source
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (August 2010)
Electron emission characteristics of sputtered lanthanum hexaboride
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A (May 1991)
Growth and surface properties of lanthanum hexaboride crystals
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. (November 1982)
Heaterless 300 A lanthanum hexaboride hollow cathode
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (March 2023)