Composite Grids for Ion Thruster

The grid stack used on ion engines is a critical component influencing engine performance and weight. The grids currently used on ion thrusters and in laboratory ion sources use costly machined pyrocarbon grids with thick ceramic mounting posts and they require assembly of several parts. This project investigates novel carbon grid materials and sandwich construction using insulating core materials that resist shorting caused by sputtered contaminates. The benefits of this grid concept are: precision shape, vibration resistance, light weight, fewer grid components required, scalability to small and large grid diameters (including high power ion engines for nuclear electric propulsion), and low cost. Phase 1 demonstrated feasibility of fabricating small sandwich grids with suitable precision and voltage standoff. Phase 2 shall futher develop materials and processing, and fabricate full-scale sandwich grids for use in NASA Ion Engines.