Radiation damage to charge coupled devices in the space environment

Author

Yamashita, A. ; Dotani, T. ; Bautz, M. ; Crew, G. ; Ezuka, H. ; Gendreau, K. ; Kotani, T. ; Mitsuda, K. ; Otani, C. ; Rasmussen, A. ; Ricker, G. ; Tsunemi, H.

Author_Institution

Inst. of Space & Astron. Sci., Kanagawa, Japan

Volume

1

fYear

1996

fDate

2-9 Nov 1996

Firstpage

261

Abstract

Charge coupled devices (CCDs) optimized for soft X-ray detection were utilized for the solid-state imaging spectrometers (SIS) onboard the ASCA satellite, and have been in operation since its launch in 1993. We have been carefully monitoring the change in performance of SIS due to radiation damage over three years since launch. Both an increase of dark current and a decrease of charge transfer efficiency are observed, as expected from experiments in the laboratory, but their characteristics are somewhat different from those predicted before launch. This is the first detailed analysis of radiation damage to CCDs actually operated in the space environment and gives important information for the development of similar detectors for space applications

Keywords

CCD image sensors; X-ray astronomy; X-ray detection; X-ray effects; X-ray spectrometers; artificial satellites; astronomical instruments; dark conductivity; ASCA satellite; CCD; charge coupled devices; charge transfer efficiency; dark current; performance change; radiation damage; soft X-ray detection; solid-state imaging spectrometers; space environment; Charge transfer; Charge-coupled image sensors; Dark current; Optical imaging; Radiation monitoring; Satellites; Solid state circuits; Space charge; Spectroscopy; X-ray detection;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium, 1996. Conference Record., 1996 IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

1082-3654

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3534-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1996.590954

Filename

590954