Characterization of coupling oscillation in Hall thrusters

The characterization of coupling oscillation in a Hall thruster is experimentally studied by varying magnetic flux density or discharge voltage to obtain the relationship between discharge parameters and coupling oscillation. The dispersion relation of coupling oscillation is deduced using a 2D collisionless quasi-neutral fluid model and the factors having their effects on coupling oscillation are obtained. Experimental results and theoretical analysis indicate that coupling oscillation increases with magnetic flux density, discharge voltage or coupling intensity coefficient. The instability has a very large wave number within a frequency spectrum ranging from hundreds of kilohertz to megahertz.