Study of radiation induced conductivity and photoconduction phenomenon for materials used in space environment

Dielectric materials used in space on satellite structure may have to cope with strong levels of charging under electron irradiation in space environment. This could lead to potential hazardous electrostatic discharges and consequent anomalies on the satellite, such as electromagnetic disturbances or, in worst case, the destruction of some on-board systems. These materials need to be tested on-ground to assess their electric behaviour and predict any risk of failure in space environment. The SIRENE facility, installed at ONERA (Toulouse, France) allows the simulation of geostationary orbit electron environment and the evaluation of charging capabilities of material samples. In this work, we study radiation induced conductivity for Teflon® FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) and Kapton®. Photoconduction processes have also been analysed on Kapton® and results are presented in this paper. The experimental analyses have been performed through non-contact PEA technique. This technique was implemented in SIRENE to better understand charge carrier transport in dielectric materials used in space application.