FOTEC’s Plasma Diagnostic Systems: Demonstration using the new ECLIPSE FEEP Thruster

FOTEC Forschungs- und Technologietransfer GmbH (FOTEC) has been deeply involved in the development of cutting-edge diagnostic tools for Electric Propulsion (EP) systems, with a particular emphasis on Faraday Cups (FCs). The progression began with analog FCs, evolved through the integration of digital signal acquisition and processing in Digital FCs (DFCs), and ultimately led to the creation and validation of a Digital FC Array (DFCA) capable of spatially resolved measurements. This paper provides a detailed technical summary of that development path, emphasizing key performance benchmarks and experimental findings from FC implementations. It offers a broad overview of FOTEC’s advancements in plasma diagnostics, supported by results from test campaigns – primarily using laboratory Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) thruster prototypes. These experimental insights have contributed not only to the refinement of the tested EP systems but also to the iterative enhancement of the diagnostic instruments themselves. The outcomes have played a pivotal role in shaping successive design iterations and improving the overall accuracy and effectiveness of the diagnostic systems.