Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current/high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current/high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

Methods and apparatuses for emitting electrons from a hollow cathode are provided. The cathode includes a plasma holding region configured to hold a plasma, a gas supply source configured to supply gas to the plasma holding region, and an orifice plate disposed on a periphery of the plasma holding region. The orifice plate comprises a plurality of openings constructed to receive electrons from the plasma. The plurality of openings decouple gas conductance and electrical conductance across the orifice plate. The diameters of the plurality of openings are within a range of 20%-60%, inclusive, of a diameter of a circular opening with an area equal to a sum of the areas of the plurality of openings.

An arcjet thruster system for a spacecraft is provided. The arcjet thruster system may include a power supply that includes a radio-frequency start power supply and a continuous direct-current power supply, each selectively coupled to electrodes of an arcjet for initiation and maintenance of an arc between the electrodes. A radio-frequency/direct-current control module may be provided for selectively coupling the radio-frequency start power supply and a continuous direct-current power supply. The radio-frequency start power supply may be used to initiate an arc that is then sustained by the continuous direct-current power supply.

Provided herein are various leptonic power sources, leptonic control systems, and leptonic-powered engines. An apparatus includes a leptonic source configured to emit beam electrons to ionize a material into a plasma according to a selectable ionization degree and deposit charge onto a plurality of cathodes in a progressively more negatively charged arrangement to establish an electric field of a selectable intensity in the plasma.

Systems, devices, and methods generating a plasma flow are disclosed. A method may include applying energy that alternates between being at a base level for a first duration and at a pulse level for a second duration according to a controlled pattern, generating a plasma flow having a directional axis, and discharging the plasma flow alternating between a base configuration and a pulse configuration according to the controlled pattern. The plasma flow in the base configuration may have (1) a first temperature at the outlet and (2) a first flow front that advances along the directional axis. The plasma flow in the pulse configuration may have (1) a second temperature at the outlet that is greater than the first temperature and (2) a second flow front that advances along the directional axis at a speed greater than the first flow front.

Systems, devices, and methods generating a plasma flow are disclosed. A method may include applying energy that alternates between being at a base level for a first duration and at a pulse level for a second duration according to a controlled pattern, generating a plasma flow having a directional axis, and discharging the plasma flow alternating between a base configuration and a pulse configuration according to the controlled pattern. The plasma flow in the base configuration may have (1) a first temperature at the outlet and (2) a first flow front that advances along the directional axis. The plasma flow in the pulse configuration may have (1) a second temperature at the outlet that is greater than the first temperature and (2) a second flow front that advances along the directional axis at a speed greater than the first flow front.

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) thruster includes a magnetic field source configured to generate a magnetic field, a thruster body that defines a chamber, the thruster body being disposed relative to the magnetic field source such that the magnetic field is present in the chamber and such that a magnetic nozzle is established, an antenna configured to propagate radio frequency (RF) power within the chamber, and a waveform generator coupled to the antenna to generate an RF waveform for the RF power. The waveform generator is configured such that the RF waveform includes multiple frequencies.

Some embodiments of the invention include a thruster system comprising a thruster and a pulsing power supply. The thruster may include a gas inlet port; a plasma jet outlet; and a first electrode. In some embodiments, the pulsing power supply may provide an electrical potential to the first electrode with a pulse repetition frequency greater than 10 kHz, a voltage greater than 5 kilovolts. In some embodiments, the pressure downstream from the thruster can be less than 10 Torr. In some embodiments, when a plasma is produced within the thruster by energizing a gas flowing into the thruster through the gas inlet port, the plasma is expelled from the thruster through the plasma jet outlet.

High propellant throughput Hall-effect thrusters (HETs) and components thereof are disclosed. A compact and high propellant throughput HET has an improved magnetic circuit that mostly shields the discharge chamber walls from high-energy ionized propellant, low-profile sacrificial pole covers to delay magnetic pole erosion, a unique discharge chamber subassembly, a mechanically crimped cathode emitter retainer to increase efficiency, a center-mounted hollow cathode, or a combination thereof. Such feature(s) may balance propellant throughput and thruster performance, minimize the volume of the thruster envelope, and/or simplify the thruster assembly.