Effect of the magnetic lenses on the electron current due to near wall conductivity in a Hall thruster

The effect of magnetic lens on the electron current due to near wall conductivity (NWC) in a Hall thruster is studied. A Monte Carlo model is employed to simulate the effect of the large magnetic-field incidence angle on the electron current. The simulation results show that the electron current due to NWC decreases in the case of large incidence. The simulation qualitatively agrees with the related experimental result. And the simulation also demonstrates that choosing the curvature angle of the magnetic field is also a key factor to design a Hall thruster with high operation performance. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3469763]