Gridded Ion Thruster Perveance Calculator
Electrostatic Ion Optics: Calculate Child-Langmuir space-charge limited current density ($j_{CL}$), total extractable beam current ($I_{max}$), and grid perveance.
Ion Optics & Grid Geometry
Voltages & Operating Currents
Optics & Space-Charge Limits
Perveance Utilization ($U_p$)
-- %
Target: 40% - 75% safe
Max Child-Langmuir Current ($I_{max}$)
-- A
Limit $j_{CL}$: -- A/m²
Net-to-Total Ratio ($R$)
--
Total $V_t$: -- V
Beam Perveance ($P_e$)
-- nA/V^1.5
Effective Gap $l_{eff}$: -- mm
Ion Optics Guidelines:
• $R = V_{sc} / (V_{sc} + |V_{acc}|)$ typically ranges between $0.70$ and $0.85$ to balance beam divergence against electron backstreaming.
• Operating above $80\%$ Child-Langmuir saturation causes beam cross-over, severe accelerator grid impingement, and premature grid failure.
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