INDUCTIVE PLASMA ACCELERATION APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

An inductive plasma acceleration apparatus, comprising a pulse laser assembly, a pulsed discharge assembly, an exciting coil assembly, a solid state working medium, and a control assembly; the exciting coil assembly is electrically connected to the pulsed discharge assembly such that a strong pulse current is produced in the exciting coil assembly during the discharge process of the pulse discharge assembly, and an inductive pulse electromagnetic field is excited around the exciting coil assembly; the solid state working medium is positioned on the optical path of a pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly such that the solid state working medium produces a pulse gas under the ablation action of the pulse laser, and the inductive pulse electromagnetic field is positioned on the circulation gas path of the pulse gas such that the pulse gas can enter the inductive pulse electromagnetic field.

Claims

1. An inductive plasma acceleration apparatus, comprising a pulse laser assembly, a pulsed discharge assembly, an exciting coil assembly, a solid state working medium, and a control assembly, wherein the exciting coil assembly is electrically connected to the pulsed discharge assembly, such that the pulsed discharge assembly produces a strong pulse current in the exciting coil assembly during a discharge process to further excite an inductive pulse electromagnetic field around the exciting coil assembly; the solid state working medium is located on an optical path of a pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly, such that the solid state working medium produces a pulse gas under an ablation action of the pulse laser, and the inductive pulse electromagnetic field is located on a circulation gas path of the pulse gas, such that the pulse gas is capable of entering the inductive pulse electromagnetic field; and the pulse laser assembly and the pulsed discharge assembly are both electrically connected to the control assembly to control a power and a frequency of the pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly.

2. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting assembly capable of changing a direction of the optical path is disposed on the optical path of the pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly, such that a laser is capable of accurately irradiating on the solid state working medium based on a predetermined density distribution.

3. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a bracket, the reflecting assembly comprises a first reflecting mirror and a second reflecting mirror which are disposed on the bracket, the first reflecting mirror has an axisymmetric conical configuration, and the second reflecting mirror has an axisymmetric annular configuration; the first reflecting mirror is located within an annular opening of the second reflecting mirror, a reflecting sheet of the first reflecting mirror is located on a conical surface of the conical configuration, and a reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror is located on an inner-ring surface of the annular configuration; the solid state working medium and the exciting coil assembly are both disposed on the bracket and located between a reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror and the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror, and the exciting coil assembly is located below the solid state working medium and excites the inductive pulse electromagnetic field above the solid state working medium; and the pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly irradiates on the solid state working medium after passing the reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror and the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror.

4. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a generatrix of the first reflecting mirror and a generatrix of the second reflecting mirror are of a linear or curved configuration.

5. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a bracket assembly, which comprises a support pedestal and a tower disposed on the support pedestal, the exciting coil assembly is disposed on the support pedestal and coiled around the tower; the solid state working medium has a columnar structure, with one end abuts on the support pedestal and the other end located inside the tower, and an outer wall of a portion of the solid state working medium located within the tower is in contact with and connected to an inner wall of the tower; the reflecting assembly comprises a reflecting pedestal suspended above the tower, as well as a third reflecting mirror and a lens which are disposed on the reflecting pedestal, the third reflecting mirror is located above the lens and has a reflecting surface facing towards the lens, an annular skirt extending downwards is disposed around the lens, the lens is located directly above the tower and faces towards an end of the solid state working medium, and an annular nozzle facing towards the exciting coil assembly is defined between an inner wall of the annular skirt (86) and an outer wall of the tower; and the pulse laser emitted by the pulse laser assembly irradiates on an end of the solid state working medium after passing the reflecting surface of the third reflecting mirror and the lens.

6. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the support pedestal is provided with a restraint member having an annular structure, and the exciting coil assembly is located between an inner wall of the restraint member and the outer wall of the tower.

7. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the support pedestal is provided with a support spring at a position corresponding to the solid state working medium, and the end of the solid state working medium abuts on the support spring.

8. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exciting coil assembly is formed by axisymmetrically crossing and overlapping a plurality of spiral line type antennas.

9. The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the solid state working medium is made of a high polymer material or a metal material.

10. An inductive plasma acceleration method using the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: ablating the solid state working medium by the pulse laser to produce a pulse gaseous ablation product, namely a pulse gas flow; breaking down the pulse gaseous ablation product by a circumferential electromagnetic-field component of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field and establishing an annular plasma current; and interacting with the plasma current by a radial electromagnetic-field component of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field to produce an axial Lorentz force to accelerate the plasmas, thereby achieving a propelling effect, wherein a yield and a pulse frequency of the pulse gaseous ablation product is controlled by controlling the power and the frequency of the pulse laser.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the invention or in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings to be used in the descriptions of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description show merely some embodiments of the invention, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an exciting coil assembly in the first implemented structure of the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0044] FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of an exciting coil assembly in the second implemented structure of the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0045] FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a pulse switch, an energy storage capacitor bank, and an exciting coil assembly for exciting an inductive pulse electromagnetic field in the second implemented structure of the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0046] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a third implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0047] FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a pulse switch, an energy storage capacitor bank, and an exciting coil assembly for exciting an inductive pulse electromagnetic field in the third implemented structure of the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0048] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of an inductive plasma acceleration method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] Reference signs are illustrated as follows: 1, pulse laser assembly; 11, pulse laser; 21, pulse switch; 22, energy-storage capacitor; 3, exciting coil assembly; 31, coil slot; 32, restraint member; 4, solid state working medium; 5, control assembly; 61, first control signal; 62, second control signal; 71, bracket; 72, support pedestal; 73, tower; 74, support spring; 81, first reflecting mirror; 82, second reflecting mirror; 83, third reflecting mirror; 84, lens; 85, reflecting pedestal; and 86, annular skirt.

[0050] The object achievement, functional characteristics, and advantages of the invention will be further illustrated in combination with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0051] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are merely some instead of all of the embodiments of the invention. Based on the embodiments of the invention, every other embodiment obtained by a person of ordinary skills in the art without making creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the invention.

[0052] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as, up, down, left, right, front, back, . . . ) in the embodiments of the invention only serve to explain a relative positional relationship, a motion condition and the like between various components under a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications change therewith accordingly.

[0053] In addition, the descriptions such as “first” and “second” involved in the embodiments of the invention are merely for a descriptive purpose, and shall not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. As such, features defined by “first” and “second” can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of said features. In the description of the invention, unless otherwise clearly specified, “a plurality of” means at least two, for example, two, three, etc.

[0054] In the invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and defined, the terms “connection”, “fixation”, and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, the “fixation” may be a fixed connection, or a detachable connection or an integral connection; may be a mechanical connection, or an electrical connection, or a physical connection or wireless communication connection; may be a direct connection, or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two elements, or an interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skills in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the invention can be understood in accordance with specific conditions.

[0055] In addition, the technical solutions of various embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other, which must be based on the fact that it is implementable for those skilled in the art. When the technical solutions are in conflict during the combining or the combination is not achievable, it should be considered that such a combination does not exist and is not within the protection scope claimed by the invention.

Embodiment 1

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a first implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus includes the following assemblies.

[0057] A pulse laser assembly 1 is configured to generate pulse laser 11. In this embodiment, a pulse laser apparatus or another apparatus capable of emitting the pulse laser is used as the pulse laser assembly 1.

[0058] A pulsed discharge assembly consists of a pulse switch 21 and an energy-storage capacitor 22 which are electrically connected, and is configured to perform pulsed discharge. Here, a high-peak-current pulse switch 21 or a switch array is used as the pulse switch 21; and a high-voltage end of the pulse switch 21 is integrally encapsulated with a high-temperature-resistant epoxy resin to increase its insulating property during the use in a near-vacuum environment. The energy-storage capacitor 22 is configured to store discharge energy, and a wiring terminal of the energy-storage capacitor 22 has an encapsulated structure to increase the insulating property and airtightness during the use in a vacuum environment. The number of the energy-storage capacitor 22 is one or more, and when there are a plurality of energy-storage capacitors 22, all the capacitors tightly surrounds the pulse switch 21 spatially in an axisymmetric manner.

[0059] The exciting coil assembly 3 is formed by crossing and overlapping a plurality of spiral line type antennas in an axisymmetric manner, as shown in FIG. 2. The exciting coil assembly 3 may also be represented in other forms, which will not be described one by one in detail in this embodiment. The exciting coil assembly 3 is arranged in a coil slot 31, which is made of an insulating material. The exciting coil assembly 3 is electrically connected to the pulse switch 21 and the energy-storage capacitor 22 to form a complete electric loop, such that the pulsed discharge assembly produces a strong pulse current in the exciting coil assembly 3, thereby further exciting an inductive pulse electromagnetic field around the exciting coil assembly 3. Here, when the exciting coil assembly 3 is electrically connected to the pulse switch 21 and the energy-storage capacitor 22 to form a complete electric loop, one pole of each energy-storage capacitor 22 is connected in series to one end of a single spiral line type antenna, the other end of which is then connected to one end of the pulse switch 21; and the other pole of the energy-storage capacitor 22 is directly connected to the other end of the pulse switch 21.

[0060] A solid state working medium 4 is made of a high polymer material or a metal material, and is arranged on the exciting coil assembly 3 and located on an optical path of a pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1, such that the solid state working medium 4 produces a pulse gas under an ablation action of the pulse laser 11, and meanwhile, the pulse gas produced from the solid state working medium 4 ablated by the laser is capable of entering the inductive pulse electromagnetic field.

[0061] A control assembly 5 is electrically connected to the exciting coil assembly 3 and the pulsed discharge assembly and is configured to control the on and off of the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulse switch 21, and a PLC control box or an electrical control box or a signal generator may be used as the control assembly 5. In this embodiment, a signal generator common in the market is used as the control assembly 5, where the signal generator is set to generate two trigger pulses to control the operation of the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulse switch 21, so as to achieve the effect of coordinating the work between the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulsed discharge assembly. Further, the two trigger pulses works repetitively at a certain frequency to achieve the effect of controlling the magnitude of the thrust.

[0062] Preferably, a restraint member 32 having an annular structure is disposed around the exciting coil assembly 3, and the solid state working medium 4 is located within an annular opening of the restraint member 32 to prevent a pulse gas generated by the solid state working medium 4 ablated by the laser from escaping from an edge of the exciting coil assembly 3.

[0063] In such a structure, the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus works in the following process: the control assembly 5 emits a first control signal 61 to activate the pulse laser assembly 1, which emits a beam of laser to ablate the solid state working medium 4 to produce a gaseous ablation product in the form of a pulse gas, and the pulse gas moves to a position, nearby the exciting coil assembly 3, where the pulse gas may be subjected to the action of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field, i.e., directly above the exciting coil assembly 3; at this point, the control assembly 5 emits a second control signal 62 to turn on the pulse switch 21, thereby turning on the loop consisting of the pulse switch 21, the energy-storage capacitor 22 that has been charged to a preset high voltage, and the exciting coil assembly 3, here, the pulse frequency of the pulse switch 21 is the same as that of the pulse laser assembly 1 for pulsed discharge; and the strong pulse current is produced by discharging and excited by the exciting coil assembly 3 to generate an inductive pulse electromagnetic field, which has a circumferential electric-field component breaking down the pulse gas to establish an annular plasma current, and has a radial magnetic-field component interacting with the plasma current to produce an axial Lorentz force to accelerate the plasmas, thereby achieving a propelling effect to complete one working pulse. Here, the average thrust and the average power may be adjusted by adjusting the working frequency of the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulse switch 21.

Embodiment 2

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a second implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus in this embodiment. The apparatus includes a pulse laser assembly 1, a pulsed discharge assembly, an exciting coil assembly 3, a solid state working medium 4, and a control assembly 5, all of which are the same as those in the first implemented structure in function and composition. The apparatus further includes a reflecting assembly, which is disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 to allow the laser to irradiate on the solid state working medium 4 based on a predetermined intensity distribution. Compared with the first implemented structure, the second implemented structure is different in that the exciting coil assembly 3 is formed by crossing and overlapping a plurality of spiral line type antennas in an axisymmetric manner. Preferably, the single spiral line type antenna is specifically of an Archimedes spiral line type, i.e., the single spiral line type antenna and an exciting coil assembly 3 consisting of two and 6 spiral line type antennas as shown in FIG. 4 from left to right. The exciting coil assembly 3 may also be represented in other forms, which will not be described one by one in detail in this embodiment.

[0065] In this implemented structure, the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus further includes a bracket 71, on which the pulsed discharge assembly, the exciting coil assembly 3, the solid state working medium 4, and the reflecting assembly are installed, and the pulse laser assembly 1 and the control assembly 5 are installed at positions on or beyond the bracket 71.

[0066] In this implemented structure, the solid state working medium 4 has an annular sheet structure; the reflecting assembly includes a first reflecting mirror 81 and a second reflecting mirror 82, which are detachably installed on a bracket 71, the first reflecting mirror 81 has an axisymmetric conical configuration, and the second reflecting mirror 82 has an axisymmetric annular configuration; and the first reflecting mirror 81 is located within the annular opening of the second reflecting mirror 82, a reflecting sheet of the first reflecting mirror 81 is located on a conical surface of the conical configuration, and a reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror 82 is located on an inner-ring surface of the annular configuration.

[0067] The solid state working medium 4 and the exciting coil assembly 3 are both disposed on the bracket 71 and located between a reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror 81 and the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror 82, that is, the first reflecting mirror 81 is located within the annular opening of the solid state working medium. Preferably, a conical axis of the first reflecting mirror 81, an annular axis of the solid state working medium 4, and an annular axis of the second reflecting mirror 82 are overlapped. The exciting coil assembly 3 is located below the solid state working medium 4 and excites the inductive pulse electromagnetic field above the solid state working medium. Specifically, a coil slot 31 of an annular structure is installed on the bracket; the exciting coil assembly 3 is arranged in the coil slot 31; the solid state working medium 4 is laid on the coil slot 31; the first reflecting mirror 81 is installed at an inner ring position on the coil slot; and the second reflecting mirror 82 is installed at an outer ring position on the coil slot 31.

[0068] In this implemented structure, the pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 irradiates on the solid state working medium 4 after passing the reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror 81 and the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror 82. Preferably, a center of the pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 is overlapped with the conical axis of the first reflecting mirror 81, such that the pulse laser 11 of a linear configuration emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 changes into a laser surface of an annular configuration after passing the reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror 81, and then radiates an annular region on the solid state working medium 4 after passing the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror 82, thereby allowing the pulse laser 11 to accurately radiate the solid state working medium 4 based on the predetermined intensity distribution.

[0069] Preferably, a generatrix of the first reflecting mirror 81 and a generatrix of the second reflecting mirror 82 are each of a linear configuration or a curved configuration, and the generatrix of the first reflecting mirror 81 of a different generatrix configuration and the second reflecting mirror 82 of a different generatrix configuration may be changed to achieve the effect of changing a radiating area and position of the pulse laser 11 on the solid state working medium 4.

[0070] In such a structure, the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus works in the following process: the control assembly 5 emits a first control signal 61 to activate the pulse laser assembly 1, which emits a pulse laser 11, the pulse laser 11 of a linear configuration ablates an annular region on the solid state working medium 4 after passing the reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror 81 and the reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror 82, to produce a gaseous ablation product in the form of a pulse gas, and the pulse gas subsequently moves to a position, nearby the exciting coil assembly 3, where the pulse gas may be subjected to the action of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field, i.e., directly above the exciting coil assembly 3, here, the second reflecting mirror 82 acts as the restraint member 32 to prevent the pulse gas produced by the solid state working medium 4 ablated by the laser from escaping from the edge of the exciting coil assembly 3; at this point, the control assembly 5 emits a second control signal 62 to turn on the pulse switch 21, thereby turning on the loop consisting of the pulse switch 21, the energy-storage capacitor 22 that has been charged to a preset high voltage, and the exciting coil assembly 3, here, the pulse frequency of the pulse switch 21 is the same as that of the pulse laser assembly 1 for pulsed discharge; and the strong pulse current is produced by discharging and excited by the exciting coil assembly 3 to generate an inductive pulse electromagnetic field, which has a circumferential electric-field component breaking down the pulse gas to establish an annular plasma current, and has a radial magnetic-field component interacting with the plasma current to produce an axial Lorentz force to accelerate the plasmas, thereby achieving a propelling effect to complete one working pulse. Here, the average thrust and the average power may be adjusted by adjusting the working frequency of the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulse switch 21. Here, a circuit diagram of the pulse switch 21, the energy-storage capacitor bank, and the exciting coil assembly 3 for exciting the inductive pulse electromagnetic field is as shown in FIG. 5.

Embodiment 3

[0071] FIG. 6 shows a third implemented structure of an inductive plasma acceleration apparatus in this embodiment. The apparatus includes a pulse laser assembly 1, a pulsed discharge assembly, an exciting coil assembly 3, a solid state working medium 4, and a control assembly 5, all of which are the same as those in the first implemented structure in function and composition. The apparatus further includes a reflecting assembly, which is disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 to allow the laser to irradiate on the solid state working medium 4 accurately and uniformly. Here, the exciting coil assembly 3 in the third implemented structure has a specific implemented structure the same as that in the second implemented structure.

[0072] The inductive plasma acceleration apparatus further includes a bracket assembly, which includes a support pedestal 72 and a tower 73 disposed on the support pedestal 72; the exciting coil assembly 3 is disposed on the support pedestal 72 and coiled around the tower 73. Specifically, the support pedestal 72 is provided with a coil slot 31 of an annular structure; the coil slot 31 is sleeved on a bottom end of the tower 73; the exciting coil assembly 3 is arranged in the coil slot 31. The pulsed discharge assembly ad the solid state working medium 4 are both installed on the bracket assembly; and the reflecting assembly, the pulse laser assembly 1 and the control assembly 5 are installed at positions on or beyond the bracket 71. In this implemented structure, the solid state working medium 4 has a columnar structure, with a bottom end butted and connected onto the support pedestal 72 and a top end located within the tower 73, and a portion of the solid state working medium 4 located within the tower 73 has an outer wall that is in contact with and connected to an inner wall of the tower 73; the reflecting assembly includes a reflecting pedestal 85 suspended above the tower 73, as well as a third reflecting mirror 83 and a lens 84 which are disposed on the reflecting pedestal 85, and in this implemented structure, the reflecting assembly is connected onto the support pedestal 72 through a mounting rack not shown; the third reflecting mirror 83 is located above the lens 84 and has a reflecting surface facing towards the lens 84, an annular skirt 86 extending downwards is disposed around the lens 84, and the lens 84 and the annular skirt 86 form a hood-like structure covering downwards; and the lens 84 is located directly above the tower 73 and faces towards an end of the solid state working medium 4, and an annular nozzle facing towards the exciting coil assembly 3 is defined between an inner wall of the annular skirt 86 and an outer wall of the tower 73.

[0073] The pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 irradiates on the end of the solid state working medium after passing the reflecting surface of the third reflecting mirror 83 and the lens 84. Specifically, the pulse laser 11 emitted by the pulse laser assembly 1 passes by the reflecting surface of the third reflecting mirror 83, then vertically penetrates through the lens 84, and then vertically radiating the end of the solid state working medium 4. In this implemented structure, the lens 84 is detachably installed on an emission pedestal via a detachable connection which may be a threaded connection or a fastener connection. The lens 84 may be a focusing lens or an extender lens. When the solid state working medium 4 is fine, the focusing lens is used as the lens 84 in this embodiment; and when the solid state working medium 4 is coarse, the extender lens is used as the lens 84 in this embodiment.

[0074] Preferably, the support pedestal 72 is provided with a restraint member 32 having an annular structure; the exciting coil assembly 3 is located between the inner all of the annular restraint member 32 and the outer wall of the tower 73 to prevent a pulse gas generated by the solid state working medium 4 ablated by the laser from escaping from the edge of the exciting coil assembly 3.

[0075] Preferably, the support pedestal 72 is provided with a support spring 74 at a position corresponding to the solid state working medium 4, and the end of the solid state working medium 4 is butted and connected to the support spring 74. The support spring 74 plays a certain damping role to prevent the solid state working medium of the columnar structure from being damaged by external forces when the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus moves along with a carrier.

[0076] In such a structure, the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus works in the following process: the control assembly 5 emits a first control signal 61 to activate the pulse laser assembly 1, which emits a pulse laser 11, the pulse laser 11 of the linear configuration vertically penetrates through the lens 84 after passing the reflecting surface of the third reflecting mirror 83 and then vertically radiates the end of the solid state working medium 4 to ablate the solid state working medium 4 from the end, thereby producing a gaseous ablation product in the form of a pulse gas, and the pulse gas subsequently passes by a top opening of the tower 73 and the annular nozzle and then moves to a position, nearby the exciting coil assembly 3, where the pulse gas may be subjected to the action of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field, i.e., directly above the exciting coil assembly 3; at this point, the control assembly 5 emits a second control signal 62 to turn on the pulse switch 21, thereby turning on the loop consisting of the pulse switch 21, the energy-storage capacitor 22 that has been charged to a preset high voltage, and the exciting coil assembly 3, here, the pulse frequency of the pulse switch 21 is the same as that of the pulse laser assembly 1 for pulsed discharge; and the strong pulse current is produced by discharging and excited by the exciting coil assembly 3 to generate an inductive pulse electromagnetic field, which has a circumferential electric-field component breaking down the pulse gas to establish an annular plasma current, and has a radial magnetic-field component interacting with the plasma current to produce an axial Lorentz force to accelerate the plasmas, thereby achieving a propelling effect to complete one working pulse. Here, the average thrust and the average power may be adjusted by adjusting the working frequency of the pulse laser assembly 1 and the pulse switch 21. Here, a circuit diagram of the pulse switch 21, the energy-storage capacitor bank, and the exciting coil assembly 3 for exciting the inductive pulse electromagnetic field is as shown in FIG. 7.

[0077] FIG. 8 shows an inductive plasma acceleration method using the inductive plasma acceleration apparatus according to this embodiment. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0078] Step 801, ablating the solid state working medium 4 by the pulse laser 11 to produce a pulse gaseous ablation product, namely a pulse gas flow;

[0079] Step 802, breaking down the gaseous ablation product by a circumferential electromagnetic-field component of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field and establishing an annular plasma current; and

[0080] Step 803, interacting with the plasma current by a radial electromagnetic-field component of the inductive pulse electromagnetic field to produce an axial Lorentz force to accelerate the plasmas, thereby achieving a propelling effect.

[0081] Here, the yield and pulse frequency of the pulse gaseous ablation product is controlled by controlling the power and frequency of the pulse laser 11.

[0082] Described above are merely preferred embodiments of the invention, which are not intended to limit the patent scope of the invention. Within the inventive concept of the invention, any equivalent structure transformations made by using the contents of the Description and drawings of the invention, or their any direct or indirect applications to other relevant technical fields, shall be included within the patent scope of the invention.