The large-scale Complex Irradiation Facility (CIF), at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a selection and dimensioning of radiation sources, allowing the conditions of interplanetary space to be simulated as realistically as possible.
The Complex Irradiation Facility (CIF) is used for experimental research into the degradation of materials under simulated space radiation conditions as those found beyond that of low Earth orbits. Three sources of light and a proton/electron dual beam accelerator are connected to an irradiation chamber where the samples can be exposed to a precisely defined dose of electromagnetic radiation (IR, visible light, UV and VUV), as well as electrons and protons. The energy from the protons and electrons, which can amount up to 100 keV, enables a penetration depth of a few micrometres, depending on the sample. This allows the in-depth study of the main degradation effects on the sample's surface area. The facility is set up with ultra-high vacuum technology performed with metal gaskets without organic components, such as artificial gaskets and pump oil. This prevents self-contamination, which could influence the results of the experiments.
Key search areas
Research into the changes of the mechanical and thermo-optical properties of the material due to protons/electron- and electromagnetic radiation.
Technical parameters of the Complex Irradiation Facility
Radiation chamber:
Volume:
33,5 l (400 mm diameter)
Irradiated area
60 mm x 60 mm (standard sample holder)
System pressure:
<10-8 mbar (without VUV source, depending on the heat generated by the solar simulator),
10-6 mbar (depending on the settings used for the VUV source).
Licht source:
Solar simulator:
250 – 2500 nm (5000 W/m2)
Deuterium UV source:
112 – 400 nm (1.65 W/m2)
Argon VUV source:
40 – 410 nm (58 mW/m2)
Proton/electron dual beam linear accelerator:
Electricity in low-energy range (1 - 10 keV):
1 - 100 nA
Electricity in high-energy range (10 - 100 keV):
0.1 - 100 µA.
Thermal conditioning of the target:
Heating:
Halogen radiation (600 W, 400 °C)
Cooling:
liquid nitrogen (80 K)
Measurement technology:
External measuring systems for determining the reflectivity and absorption coefficient
Quadrupole mass spectrometer
Radiation, temperature and pressure sensors
References:
M. Sznajder, T. Renger, A. Witzke, R. Thornagel, U. Geppert, Design and performance of a vacuum-UV simulator for material testing under space conditions, Advances in Space Research 52 (11) (2013) 1993-2005.
T. Renger, M. Sznajder, A. Witzke, U. Geppert, The Complex Irradiation Facility at DLR-Bremen, Journal of Materials Science and Engineering A 4 (1) (2014) 1-9.
ASTM, E512-94 (2010), Standard Particle for Combined, Simulated Space Environment Testing of Thermal Control Materials with Electromagnetic and Particulate Radiation, 2010.
ECSS-Q-ST-70-06C, Particle and UV Radiation Testing for Space Materials, 2008.
