ION ACCELERATOR WITH DEVICE FOR REDUCING EFFECT OF POSITIVELY CHARGED IONS ON SURFACE AREA Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC F03H1/00 H05H1/54 B64G1/54 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: ion accelerator has a device for reducing the effect of positively charged ions on the surface area, an ionisation chamber and a device for ionising the working gas. The working gas is fed into the ionisation chamber. The ion accelerator also has electrodes for electrostatic acceleration of the formed ions using a high-voltage static field and emission of said ions in form of a plasma beam from the beam output opening of the ionisation chamber. A screening surface is provided. The screening surface lies with lateral shift from the output opening and surrounds it. The screening surface also faces the emitted plasma beam. During operation of the ion accelerator, the screening surface is spatially located between the emitted plasma beam and elements with mass potential. The elements outer surfaces of spacecraft with mass potential. The screened surface has electric potential separate from the mass potential of the spacecraft.

EFFECT: reduced damage to surfaces exposed to ions.

12 cl, 2 dwg