Evaluation of Diamond Grids for Ion Thruster Optics: Low Energy Sputter Yield Measurements

Sputter yields have been measured for chemically-vapor deposited polycrystalline diamond, carbon-carbon composite, and molybdenum subject to bambardment with xenon ions at 150, 250, 500, and 750 electron volts. The diamond yield ranged from 0.12 to 0.33 over the range of energies investigated.