Image 1:) The 2.3 kW NSTAR ion thruster of the NASA for the Deep Space 1 spacecraft during a hot fire test at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Wikipedia/Ion rocket)
Ion thrusters are one of the most capable engines for spacecraft. But the problem with those systems is weak thrust. The reason for that weak thrust is that no force affects the front wall of the rocket engine. In regular chemical rockets, the burning fuel and oxygen are sent pressure impact to the front wall of the reaction chamber. In ion thrusters, the ions will travel straight through the magnetic accelerator. And this means that there is no push against the front wall of the reaction chamber.
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Diagram of rocket engine
(<<<<<X>>>>>)
( )=The wall of the reaction chamber
X= Burning point
<<>>=Direction of the force. The pressure that pushes against the front wall of the reaction chamber is the thing that gives thrust.
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The diagram of the regular ion thruster
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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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xxx=Magnetic accelerator
+++= Positive or negative ions
<<<= Direction of ion movement. The lack of forwarding pushing effect causes weak thrust. In some models improving the thrust will happen by shooting part of the ions to the front wall of the rocket chamber. That will make it possible to use ion engines like a normal rocket system.
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Image 2:) A diagram of how a gridded electrostatic ion engine (multipole magnetic cusp type) works.
In some models of the ion thrusters, the part of the ions will shoot forward. And that thing causes ions will also push against the front wall of the ion chamber. Also in some versions of that system, the ions will spray in the rocket chamber as a cloud.
The ion engine would be a series of "U"-shaped tubes. The accelerator will drive ions or plasma against the "U"-shaped curve and that means that this ion rocket will also push the rocket forward.
In some newest visions, the quantum ion engine would be the tool for next-generation space travel. In that model, the superpositioned and entangled particles like protons are put in the graphene layer.
The laser or some other type of radiation will conduct energy to the quantum entanglement. And that system will send wave motion to both sides. The wave motion will impact also the front wall of the chamber. And that thing gives the thrust for that system.
In some other models, the ions would spray into the chamber that is above the quantum entanglement. And the energy that is delivered from those things makes those ions shine and pushes them against the roof of the chamber. This kind of system doesn't need to be as accurate as quantum computers. The purpose of quantum entanglement would be only to deliver energy to the ion cloud that pushes the craft forward.
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