Two-Dimensional Micro-Colloid Thruster Fabrication

In the field of electric space propulsion, specifically colloidal propulsion, there has been significant improvements of recent date in the development of small micro-fabricated arrays operating in the single Taylor Cone per emitter regime. To increase thrust, the density of 2-D arrays must be increased. The state-of-the-art employs silicon based MEMS fabrication techniques to effect suitable multiplexed 2-D emitter arrays. Although very efficient, MEMS emitters can be very difficult to get "just right" to achieve the desired performance. An alternative to silicon MEMS colloidal thruster design is to employ novel bundles of stretched fused silica glass fibers that comprise a plurality of capillary pores. Connecticut Analytical Corp. has devloped a patent-pending process utilizing these stretched fused fibers as a means to provide propellant delivery devoid of a hydrostatic source and at the same time yield a large 2-D electrospray array suitable for propulsion applications. The inherent capillarity of the structure maintains propellant fluid feed in perfect equilibrium to all spray demands.