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Title: Comparative Response of Microchannel Plate and Channel Electron Multiplier Detectors to Penetrating Radiation in Space

Abstract

Channel electron multiplier (CEM) and microchannel plate (MCP) detectors are routinely used in space instrumentation for measurement of space plasmas. Here, our goal is to understand the relative sensitivities of these detectors to penetrating radiation in space, which can generate background counts and shorten detector lifetime. We use 662 keV γ-rays as a proxy for penetrating radiation such as γ-rays, cosmic rays, and high-energy electrons and protons that are ubiquitous in the space environment. We find that MCP detectors are ~20 times more sensitive to 662 keV γ-rays than CEM detectors. This is attributed to the larger total area of multiplication channels in an MCP detector that is sensitive to electronic excitation and ionization resulting from the interaction of penetrating radiation with the detector material. In contrast to the CEM detector, whose quantum efficiency εγ for 662 keVγ -rays is found to be 0.00175 and largely independent of detector bias, the quantum efficiency of the MCP detector is strongly dependent on the detector bias, with a power law index of 5.5. Lastly, background counts in MCP detectors from penetrating radiation can be reduced using MCP geometries with higher pitch and smaller channel diameter.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [5];  [9]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Intelligence and Space Research Division
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Space Science and Applications Group
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Emerging Threats Program Office
  4. Univ. of Montana, Missoula, MT (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  5. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Space Science and Applications Group
  6. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD (United States). Sciences and Exploration Directorate
  7. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Systems Design and Analysis Group
  8. Photonis USA Inc., Sturbridge, MA (United States)
  9. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
OSTI Identifier:
1329562
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-20916
Journal ID: ISSN 0018-9499
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 62; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0018-9499
Publisher:
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Heliospheric and Magnetospheric Physics; Electron multipliers; Gamma-ray effects; Plasma measurements; Radiation effects

Citation Formats

Funsten, Herbert O., Harper, Ronnie W., Dors, Eric E., Janzen, Paul A., Larsen, Brian A., MacDonald, Elizabeth A., Poston, David I., Ritzau, Stephen M., Skoug, Ruth M., and Zurbuchen, Thomas H.. Comparative Response of Microchannel Plate and Channel Electron Multiplier Detectors to Penetrating Radiation in Space. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1109/TNS.2015.2464174.
Funsten, Herbert O., Harper, Ronnie W., Dors, Eric E., Janzen, Paul A., Larsen, Brian A., MacDonald, Elizabeth A., Poston, David I., Ritzau, Stephen M., Skoug, Ruth M., & Zurbuchen, Thomas H.. Comparative Response of Microchannel Plate and Channel Electron Multiplier Detectors to Penetrating Radiation in Space. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2015.2464174
Funsten, Herbert O., Harper, Ronnie W., Dors, Eric E., Janzen, Paul A., Larsen, Brian A., MacDonald, Elizabeth A., Poston, David I., Ritzau, Stephen M., Skoug, Ruth M., and Zurbuchen, Thomas H.. Fri . "Comparative Response of Microchannel Plate and Channel Electron Multiplier Detectors to Penetrating Radiation in Space". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2015.2464174. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1329562.
@article{osti_1329562,
title = {Comparative Response of Microchannel Plate and Channel Electron Multiplier Detectors to Penetrating Radiation in Space},
author = {Funsten, Herbert O. and Harper, Ronnie W. and Dors, Eric E. and Janzen, Paul A. and Larsen, Brian A. and MacDonald, Elizabeth A. and Poston, David I. and Ritzau, Stephen M. and Skoug, Ruth M. and Zurbuchen, Thomas H.},
abstractNote = {Channel electron multiplier (CEM) and microchannel plate (MCP) detectors are routinely used in space instrumentation for measurement of space plasmas. Here, our goal is to understand the relative sensitivities of these detectors to penetrating radiation in space, which can generate background counts and shorten detector lifetime. We use 662 keV γ-rays as a proxy for penetrating radiation such as γ-rays, cosmic rays, and high-energy electrons and protons that are ubiquitous in the space environment. We find that MCP detectors are ~20 times more sensitive to 662 keV γ-rays than CEM detectors. This is attributed to the larger total area of multiplication channels in an MCP detector that is sensitive to electronic excitation and ionization resulting from the interaction of penetrating radiation with the detector material. In contrast to the CEM detector, whose quantum efficiency εγ for 662 keVγ -rays is found to be 0.00175 and largely independent of detector bias, the quantum efficiency of the MCP detector is strongly dependent on the detector bias, with a power law index of 5.5. Lastly, background counts in MCP detectors from penetrating radiation can be reduced using MCP geometries with higher pitch and smaller channel diameter.},
doi = {10.1109/TNS.2015.2464174},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science},
number = 5,
volume = 62,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Fri Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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