Emitter Surface Temperature Measurements of a 25-A Class Hollow Cathode

The axial emitter surface temperature profile is experimentally characterized for a 25-A class hollow cathode operating across a range of operating conditions. Profiles were measured using aratio pyrometry diagnostic featuring a fiber optic inserted into the emitter region using a fast motion stage. Emitter temperature is found to increase with increasing discharge current, decreasing flow rate, and increasing magnetic field strength. Across a range of 10 –29 A, the maximum emitter temperature increased 176 ºC, an order of magnitude more than the changes measured for flow rate or magnetic fields strength. Profiles were generally self-similar across all operating conditions, and the difference between maximum and minimum emitter temperature never surpassed 10%, indicating that this cathode design results in satisfactory emitter utilization across its operating envelope