Space radiation testing of radiation resistant glasses and crystals

摘要

With the number of cerium doped radiation resistant glasses available to the designer of space optics rapidly decreasing, it is critical to identify and characterize all potential sources of radiation resistant glasses and crystals. Unfortunately much of the data on radiation testing of glasses is quite old and often not completed at very high dose rates as might be experienced by an unshielded space optic in orbit for many years. In addition, many optical glasses and crystals are manufactured today with much higher purity than in the past in order to increase their ultraviolet transmission properties. Consequently these glasses are much more resistant to space radiation than in the past. In this paper we will present gamma radiation effects on the transmission properties of today's fused silica, sapphire, calcium fluoride, barium fluoride, Schott cerium doped radiation resistant glasses, Schott colored glass filters, as well as some infrared glasses with up to a 10 Mrad dose.