Inflight proton activation and damage on a CdTe detection plane

Simões, N.N.SimõesMaia, J. M.J. M.MaiaCurado da Silva, R. M.R. M.Curado da SilvaGhithan, S.S.GhithanCrespo, P.P.Crespodo Carmo, S. J. C.S. J. C.do CarmoAlves, FranciscoFranciscoAlvesMoita, M.M.MoitaAURICCHIO, NATALIANATALIAAURICCHIOCAROLI, EZIOEZIOCAROLI2021-01-042021-01-0420180168-9002http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/29432Future high-energy space telescope missions require further analysis of orbital environment induced activation and radiation damage on main instruments. A scientific satellite is exposed to the charged particles harsh environment, mainly geomagnetically trapped protons (up to ∼300 MeV) that interact with the payload materials, generating nuclear activation background noise within instruments' operational energy range and causing radiation damage in detector material. As a consequence, instruments' performances deteriorate during the mission time-frame. In order to optimize inflight operational performances of future CdTe high-energy telescope detection planes under orbital radiation environment, we measured and analyzed the effects generated by protons on CdTe ACRORAD detectors with 2.56 cm2 sensitive area and 2 mm thickness. To carry-out this study, several sets of measurements were performed under a ∼14 MeV cyclotron proton beam. Nuclear activation radionuclides' identification was performed. Estimation of activation background generated by short-lived radioisotopes during one day was less than ∼1.3 ×10-5 counts cm-2 s-1 keV-1 up to 800 keV. A noticeable gamma-rays energy resolution degradation was registered (∼60% @ 122 keV, ∼14% @ 511 and ∼2.2% @ 1275 keV) after an accumulated proton fluence of 4.5 ×1010 protons cm-2, equivalent to ∼22 years in-orbit fluence. One year later, the energy resolution of the irradiated prototype showed a good level of performancerecovery.STAMPAenInflight proton activation and damage on a CdTe detection planeArticle10.1016/j.nima.2017.09.0172-s2.0-85031724999000415128000025https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168900217309841?via%3Dihub2018NIMPA.877..183SFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAPE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation