Session
Poster Session 2026
Location
Orem, UT
Start Date
5-4-2026 9:49 AM
Description
The UVU Plasma Physics group’s aim to provide research activities appropriate for undergraduate projects while allowing opportunities to plasma physics. A nominal focus of the group is magnetoplasma rockets such as the Variable Specific Magneto Plasma Impulse Rocket (VASMIR) engines. Previous work has included computational simulations of ion heating in a magnetic nozzle, and losses in thrust due to ion-neutral collisions. The lab has an argon plasma tube excited by a magnetron with some diagnostics, including a student-built Langmuir probe to measure electron temperature and density. This poster reports on our current attempt to build a helicon antenna to excite and heat the plasma. Currently lacking a high power RF amplifier we have examined the basic field patterns of the low power emissions in the antenna. characterized the m=1 electric field mode produced by the antenna.
Spatial Characterization of a Helical Antenna’s Electric Field
Orem, UT
The UVU Plasma Physics group’s aim to provide research activities appropriate for undergraduate projects while allowing opportunities to plasma physics. A nominal focus of the group is magnetoplasma rockets such as the Variable Specific Magneto Plasma Impulse Rocket (VASMIR) engines. Previous work has included computational simulations of ion heating in a magnetic nozzle, and losses in thrust due to ion-neutral collisions. The lab has an argon plasma tube excited by a magnetron with some diagnostics, including a student-built Langmuir probe to measure electron temperature and density. This poster reports on our current attempt to build a helicon antenna to excite and heat the plasma. Currently lacking a high power RF amplifier we have examined the basic field patterns of the low power emissions in the antenna. characterized the m=1 electric field mode produced by the antenna.