Abstract: Toimprovetheperformanceofthehollowcathodeasathruster,ahollowcathodethrusterwithanemittermountedonthetopofthekeeperwasdeveloped.Itisfoundthatthethrustandspecificimpulsegeneratedbyhollowcathodewiththeouteremitterarehigherthanthoseproducedbyhollowcathode.Afurtherstudyshowsthattheioncurrentandionenergyinhollowcathodewithanouteremitterarebothhigherthanthoseinhollowcathode,anditinfersthatthereexistionsaccelerationinthrustproductionmechanisminhollowcathodethrusterwithanouteremittercausingimprovementsinthrustandspecificimpulse.

Key words: hollowcathode, microthruster, cathodemode, thrustermode, outeremitter