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POTRIVITU George-Cristian

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Plasma Physics, Satellite Electric Propulsion, Space Systems Engineering

EMAIL
george_potrivitu
sutd.edu.sg
RESEARCH AREAS
Physics

Biography

Born in Romania in the picturesque village of Humulesti, I studied at the Military Technical Academy where I graduated with a BEng in aerospace engineering (2014) and became an officer in the Romanian Air Force (RoAF). During my undergraduate studies, the interest in plasma physics and her application in the field of satellite propulsion became stronger and remained my main interest to date.  I furthered my studies with two MSc degrees (2016) in space systems engineering while serving in the RoAF, followed by a period of research in satellite plasma propulsion at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in 2017. In January 2018 I commenced my PhD in physics at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and soon after I co-founded Aliena Pte Ltd, a company providing satellite plasma engines. Over the years, my studies and work allowed me to live in seven countries across Europe and Asia focusing on space systems engineering, plasma physics, and space electric propulsion. My expertise lies in Hall effect thrusters and hollow cathodes, from design and operation to plasma diagnostics. I have a strong passion for teaching, astronomy and astrophysics, and philosophy of science. I am also passionate about classical music, ballet, music theatre, and art in general. I love cooking (especially baking), painting, and swimming.

 

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Education
  • PhD Physics, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2022)
  • MSc Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden (2016)
  • MSc Space Techniques and Instrumentation, University Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, France (2016)
  • BEng Aerospace Engineering, Military Technical Academy, Bucharest, Romania (2014)
Research interest

I am currently Chief Technology Officer of Aliena Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based space technology company I co-founded in 2018 during my PhD studies. Here, I lead the R&D Department to create our current and future product lines of satellite plasma engines, assist the production effort for our global clients, and run research projects on a plethora of topics, often with industrial and academic international partners. I have a strong interest in the research of Hall effect thrusters, a type of electrostatic satellite propulsion systems, and their crucial component, the hollow cathode. Previously, my work focused on the design of efficient low-current emission hollow cathodes and the stability of their discharges – including analysis of the various plasma oscillatory phenomena such as the ionisation instability and ion acoustic turbulence. Over the years, I worked with several plasma diagnostic techniques, from electrostatic probes to optical emission spectroscopy and laser diagnostics such as laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy and incoherent Thomson scattering.
Selected publications
  • Tejeda JM, Potrivitu GC, Rosati Azevedo E, Moloney R and Knoll A, Experimental demonstration of a water electrolysis Hall Effect Thruster (WET-HET) operating with a hydrogen cathode, Acta Astronautica 219, 542-554 (2024) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.03.043)
  • Potrivitu GC and Xu S, Ionization instability and turbulence in the plume of sub-ampere hollow cathodes depending on an applied magnetic field, CEAS Space Journal 15, 729-749 (2023) (doi.org/10.1007/s12567-022-00478-5)
  • Potrivitu GC and Xu S, Evidence of the ionization instability and ion acoustic turbulence correlation in sub-ampere hollow cathodes, Journal of Electric Propulsion 1, 6 (2022) (doi.org/10.1007/s44205-022-00005-y)
  • Potrivitu GC and Xu S, Phenomenological plasma model for open-end emitter with orificed keeper hollow cathodes, Acta Astronautica 191, 293-316 (2022) (doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.11.005)
  • Potrivitu GC, Xu L and Xu S, An Ampere-class LaB6 open-end knife-edge emitter cathode for Hall thrusters, Plasma Sources Science and Technology 30, 8, 085012 (2021) (doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ac1b34)
  • Sun Y, Levchenko I, Lim JWM, Xu L, Huang S, Zhang Z, Thio F, Potrivitu GC, Rohaizat MWAB, Cherkun O, Chan CS, Baranov O, Bazaka K and Xu S, Miniaturized Rotating Magnetic Field-Driven Plasma System: Proof-of-Concept Experiments, Plasma Sources Science and Technology 30, 6, 065003 (2021) (doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab9b34)
  • Potrivitu GC, Sun Y, Rohaizat MWAB, Xu L, Huang S, Cherkun O and Xu S, A review of low-power electric propulsion research at the Space Propulsion Centre Singapore, Aerospace 7(6), 67, 060067 (2020) (doi.org/10. 3390/aerospace7060067)
  • Potrivitu GC, Xu L, Huang S, Rohaizat MWAB and Xu S, Discharge mode transition in a Krypton-fed 1 A-class LaB6 hollow cathode for Hall thrusters for small satellites, Journal of Applied Physics 127, 6, 064501 (2020) (doi.org/10.1063/1.5142019)
  • Vincent B, Tsikata S, Potrivitu GC, Garrigues L, Sary S and Mazouffre S, Electron properties of an emissive cathode: analysis with incoherent Thomson scattering, fluid simulations and Langmuir probe measurements, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 53, 41, 415202 (2020) (doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ab9974)
  • Potrivitu GC, Mazouffre S, Grimaud L and Joussot R, Anode geometry influence on LaB6 cathode discharge characteristics, Physics of Plasmas 26, 11, 113506 (2019) (doi.org/10.1063/1.5115834)
  • Singhal N, Levchenko I, Huang S, Xu L, Potrivitu GC, Cherkun O, Fang J, Bazaka K and Xu S, 3D Printed multi‐layered reinforced material system for gas supply in cubesats and small satellites, Advanced Engineering Materials 21, 11, 1900401 (2019) (doi.org/10.1002/adem.201900401)
  • Lim JWM, Levchenko I, Huang S, Xu L, Sim R, Yee J, Potrivitu GC, Sun Y, Bazaka K, Wen X, Gao J and Xu S, Plasma parameters and discharge characteristics of lab-based krypton-propelled miniaturized Hall thruster, Plasma Sources Science and Technology 28, 6 (2019) (doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab07db)
  • Lim JWM, Levchenko I, Rohaizat MWAB, Huang S, Xu L, Sun Y, Potrivitu GC, Yee JS, Sim RZW, Wang YM, Levchenko S, Bazaka K and Xu S, Optimization, test and diagnostics of miniaturised Hall thrusters, Journal of Visualized Experiments 144, e58466 (2019)  (doi.org/10.3791/58466)
  • Potrivitu GC, Joussot R and Mazouffre S, Anode position influence on discharge modes of a LaB6 cathode in diode configuration, Vacuum 151, 122-132 (2018) (doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2018.02.010)
  • Oluwafemi FA, De La Torre A, Afolayan EM, Olalekan-Ajayi BM, Dhital B, Mora-Almanza JG, Potrivitu GC, Creech J and Rivolta A, Space food and nutrition in a long term manned mission, Advances in Astronautics Science and Technology 1, 1-21 (2018) (doi.org/10.1007/s42423-018-0016-2)
Awards
  • Four Best Paper Awards (IEPC-2024-293/568/583/623) at the 38th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (2024)
  • Dean’s Commendation for Research, National institute of Education, Singapore (2022, 2021)
  • Winner of the International Final of the International Electric Propulsion Conference 2021 Summer Student Competition, Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (2021)
  • NIE Ph.D. Scholarship, National Institute of Education, Singapore (2018-2021)
  • Best Paper Award (IEPC-2017-442) at the 35th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (2017)
  • Romanian Student of the Year in Europe, League of Romanian Students Abroad (2016)
  • Military Science 2nd Class Merit Badge, Ministry of National Defence of Romania (2014)