Abstract: The anode segmented form of the cylindrical anode layer Hall thruster will affect the distribution of the potential in the thruster, and thus the motion of electrons and the ionization rate of propellants in discharge plasma of thrusters are affected. In this paper, the effects of different anode segments (single anode, two segmented anodes, three segmented anodes and four segmented anodes) on ion beam distribution were analyzed from two aspects of experiment and simulation. The results were analyzed to guide the structural design of the anode. The results show that the ion current and ion beam energy of the two segmented anodes are higher. There are some differences in the beam current distribution of the four segmented anodes within the beam diameter of 35mm, and the other positions are basically the same. When the discharge voltage is 900V, the beam energy distribution under the two segmented anodes is about 32 eV higher than that on the three segmented anodes as a whole and 20eV higher than that of the single anode and the four segmented anodes (excluding the central axis and the edge). The research results provide a reliable theoretical basis for the anode design of cylindrical anode layer Hall thruster.

Key words: plasma, anode layer Hall thruster, beam energy, PIC simulation, segmented anode