Theory and tests of a thermal ion detector sensitive only at Near-normal incidence

Measurements of thermal ions are influenced by factors such as spacecraft potential, velocity, angle of attack, and sheath size. A theory is presented for the response of an instrument which accepts ions only within a small angle of incidence from normal. Although a more general theory is available and forms the basis of this one, the small angle restriction allows a simpler formulation which does not depend on sheath size. Furthermore, practical instruments are easily designed around this restriction. Laboratory tests verify that such instruments respond as expected and they illustrate how design details influence perturbations from the ideal response characteristics.