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A year in orbit: ISS deployment tests radiation detectors for future space missions
The predawn darkness on a cool Florida night was shattered by the ignition of nine Merlin engines on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The thrust of the engines shook the ground miles away. From a distance, the rocket appeared to slowly rise above the horizon. For the cargo onboard, the launch was anything but gentle, as the ignition of liquid oxygen generated more than 1.5 million pounds of force. After the rocket had been out of sight for several minutes, the booster dramatically returned to Earth with several sonic booms in a captivating show of engineering designed to make space travel less expensive and more sustainable.
Chuanfeng Xiang, Haijun Li, Shanxue Xi, Yiyun Zhang, Chunzhi Zhou, Shanqiang Wang, Tao Sun, Xiaoyan Yi, Junxi Wang, Jinmin Li
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 7 | July 2025 | Pages 1438-1447
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2403887
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Utilizing Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) software, this study determines the optimal thickness and doping concentration for the intrinsic gallium nitride (GaN) layer in a p-i-n GaN diode to improve detection efficiency and reliability. The study examines energy loss and the transient current response induced by alpha and 3H particles within the GaN p-i-n diode. Additionally, TCAD elucidates the transient current behavior arising from electron-hole pair generation, utilizing the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter SRIM-2013 linear energy transfer distribution as a guide. The simulations disclose that the tailing effect in the transient current response results from radiation-induced hole accumulation. Elevated applied bias results in increased transient current pulse amplitude, attributed to an extended depletion region that boosts carrier collection. These insights are expected to drive advancements in GaN-based neutron detector technology, essential for advancing nuclear and space science applications in the next generation.