Luminescent Nanocrystalline Silicon Carbide Thin Film Deposited by Helicon Wave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were deposited on the single-crystal silicon substrate using the heli-con wave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HW-PECVD) technique. The influences of magnetic field and hydrogen dilution ratio on the structures of SiC thin film were investigated with the atomic force microscopy (AFM), the Fourier transform infrared ab-sorption (FTIR) and the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the high plasma activity of the helicon wave mode proves to be a key factor to grow crystalline SiC thin films at a relative low substrate temperature. Also, the decrease in the grain sizes from the level of microcrystalline to that of nanocrystalline can be achieved by increasing the hydrogen dilution ratios. Transmis-sion electron microscopy measurements reveal that the size of most nanocrystals in the film deposited under the higher hydrogen dilution ratios is smaller than the doubled Bohr radius of 3C-SiC (approximately 5.4 nm), and the light emission measurements also show a strong blue photoluminescence at the room temperature, which is considered to be caused by the quantum confinement effect of small-sized SiC nanocrystals.     

In-Situ Solar Wind and Magnetic Field Signatures of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections

The heliospheric counterparts of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at the Sun, interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), can be identified in situ based on a number of magnetic field, plasma, compositional and energetic particle signatures as well as combinations thereof. We summarize these signatures and their implications for understanding the nature of these structures and the physical properties of coronal mass ejections. We conclude that our understanding of ICMEs is far from complete and formulate several challenges that, if addressed, would substantially improve our knowledge of the relationship between CMEs at the Sun and in the heliosphere.     

Location of Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetotail

It is a crucial issue to know where magnetic reconnection takes place in the near-Earth magnetotail for substorm onsets. It is found on the basis of Geotail observations that the factor that controls the magnetic reconnection site in the magnetotail is the solar wind energy input. Magnetic reconnection forms close to (far from) the Earth in the magnetotail for high (low) solar wind energy input conditions.With the early Vela spacecraft observations, it was believed that magnetic reconnection started inside the Vela position, likely at 15 R_E. The later ISEE/IRM observations put magnetic reconnection beyond 20 R_E. The Vela event studies were made for highly active conditions, while the ISEE/IRM survey studies were made for moderate or quiet conditions. The finding of the factor that controls the site of magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail resolves the apparent discrepancy among various spacecraft results, and suggests solar cycle variation of the magnetotail reconnection site.     

地面实验室模拟空间等离子体环境的初步测试

空间等离子体和航天器的相互作用对航天器的安全有重要影响，利用空间实验来研究这些作用的代价很大，可以通过在地面实验室中模拟空间等离子体环境来低成本地研究这些相互作用。本研究通过使用ECR等离子体源期望在地面实验室来近似模拟空间等离子体环境。通过初步测量，我们得到了一个比较均匀的等离子体环境。     

100W微波等离子推力器的调试与地面实验

微波等离子推力器(MPT)谐振腔只有在谐振状态下，微波能量才能被高效地用于加热工质产生推力。采用微波无源器件回波损耗的测试方法对100W MPT谐振进行精确地调谐，分析微波能量的吸收效率及谐振频率带宽，研究腔体尺寸、微波耦合探针位置在同一谐振频率条件下的匹配性。在地面条件下，对100W MPT系统进行了实验，利用推力器腔体内的高电场强度可直接使系统推力器腔体中工质电离，其最高能量吸收效率可达98．3％。     

螺旋波等离子体推进器磁场仿真

推进工质电离、加速、喷出过程以及电羽流的污染控制等都与磁场密切相关。磁场位形的仿真设计对于提高螺旋波等离子体推进器的性能至关重要。基于等效磁荷方法建立了专门针对螺旋波等离子体推进器的三维磁场仿真模型, 计算出圆柱形与圆环形铷铁硼(Nd-Fe-B)永磁体组合产生的磁场位形及磁场强度分布特征。该模型为改进电推进器实验方案提供必要的参考和指导;通过大量仿真计算与分析, 从大量的磁铁构型方案中优选出合适的磁铁构型, 可以缩短螺旋波等离子体推进器的实验周期, 降低成本, 加快电推进器的研发进度。     

脉冲等离子体推力器研究综述

简要介绍了脉冲等离子体推力器(PPT)的基本工作原理;回顾了国内外脉冲等离子推力器的发展历史;阐述了它的优势与面临的挑战;分析了需要研究的关键技术与发展方向。     

100 W微波等离子推力器固态源研制

为了实现微波等离子推力器的小型化,利用固态器件、衰减器和检波器一体化设计技术及液体冷却技术,研制出小型化的微波等离子推力器固态源,其输出和反射微波功率可由固态源输入电压和检波器的输出电压进行控制与检测,固态源的质量与体积分别是磁控管微波源的15%和6%。对采用固态源的推力器分别进行了地面和真空实验,结果表明固态源能稳定可靠地工作。     

高速流前端磁场B_z分量的变化

等离子体片高速流在磁层活动中起着重要作用,其形成机制以及与背景等离子体的相互作用日益引起关注.本文利用搭载于Cluster四颗卫星上的磁场和等离子体观测仪器,对2001和2002两年发生在磁尾等离子体片中高速流事件期间的磁场变化进行了统计研究.结果表明,在高速流前端,伴随着等离子体整体速度的增加,绝大多数高速流前端磁场的B_z分量经常出现先短暂减小然后剧烈增大的现象,符合以往利用Geotail卫星观测数据获得的统计特性.然而个例研究发现B_z的下降与上升常常是不对称的,且B_z分量下降的程度并不是总能达到反向的程度,说明这种变化特征并不一定是存在磁结构的表现.我们认为更多时候这种磁场的变化特征是高速流挤压背景等离子体磁场造成的,是相互作用的结果.当偶极化锋面形成后,由类似间断面的磁场界面反射的热离子产生抗磁效应,可能对B_z下降形成部分贡献,而B_z增加则是高速流携带磁通量堆积的效果.