Research Summaries

Back Realization of Micro-Ion Thrusters through Carbon Nanotube Field Ionization Technology

Fiscal Year 2016
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Physics
Investigator(s) Grbovic, Dragoslav
Sponsor Department of Defense Space (DoD)
Summary We propose the development of a miniaturized ion thruster based on the field ionization of a propellant gas, flowing through an array of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The carbon nanotube field-ionization micro-ion thruster (CNT-FIMIT) technology will reduce the volume of the ionization chamber by about 80-90% of the volume of currently employed electron-bombardment designs. This volume change is analogous to the transition from spacious cathode tubes to flat-screen LCD TVs.
Keywords Carbon Nanotubes Ion Thruster Ionization
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal