先進電離層探測儀是以單一探測器來實現複合式量測的電漿探測儀器，能透過分時的方式扮演平面電漿探針、阻滯電位分析儀、離子流向儀、與離子捕獲儀各項功能。將搭載於福爾摩沙衛星五號上，實地量測電離層的電漿成份、密度、溫度、運動速度等物理量。先進電離層探測儀具備體積小、重量輕等特性，其儀器角色可以透過衛星指令更改，具備高度的量測彈性，為完全由國人自製的衛星級儀器。先進電離層探測儀搭載了同級電漿量測酬載中最高的每秒 8,192 次的取樣率，可量測電離層的細微結構；探測器所使用的純金電鑄篩網，理論上可維持較好的等電位面結構，從實驗結果中也顯示具有較低的類磁滯現象，可使量測結果更為精確；探測器所採用的圓形開口相較於以往慣用的方型開口不同，其理論模型已經發展完成，並在實驗中證明可以應用於電漿流向的推算。先進電離層探測儀已經完成所有的功能測試與環境測試，並完成了探空九號火箭的飛行測試，其效能符合預期，將可於軌道上執行任務。 ;Advanced Ionospheric Probe (AIP) is an all-in-one plasma sensor that uses single instrument to perform multiple sensor functions---includes the Planar Langmuir Probe, the Retarding Potential Analyzer, the Ion Drift Meter, and the Ion Trap---in a time sharing mechanism. AIP is a science payload for FORMOSAT-5 satellite to perform in situ measurement on the ionospheric plasma compositions, concentrations, temperatures, and velocities. AIP is fully made in Taiwan with features such as light weight, compact size, and software-programmable in sensor functions to archive high flexibilities in science operations. AIP has the highest sampling rate 8,192 samples per second in similar plasma payloads to measurement the detail plasma structures in ionosphere. The electro-forming golden grids are used to maintain the smoothness of the potential surface and improve the measurement accuracy. It shows that the quasi-hysteresis effect is reduced from an experiment in laboratory. Meanwhile, AIP uses circular aperture opening instead of the traditional square opening to measure the arrival angle of incoming plasma flow. A theory is developed and identified by experiments. AIP has passed all functional and environmental tests, and completed a pre-flight test on Taiwan′s sounding rocket 9 mission. The instrument performance is as expected and is ready for launch in the future.
