A review of radiation-induced displacement damage effects in semiconductor devices is presented, with emphasis placed on silicon technology. The history of displacement damage studies is summarized, and damage production mechanisms are discussed. Properties of defect clusters and isolated defects are addressed. Displacement damage effects in materials and devices are considered, including effects produced in silicon particle detectors, visible imaging arrays, and solar cells. Additional topics examined include NIEL scaling, carrier concentration changes, random telegraph signals, radiation hardness assurance, and simulation methods for displacement damage. Areas needing further study are noted.

Displacement Damage Effects in Irradiated Semiconductor Devices

The XMM-Newton Observatory is a cornerstone mission of the European Space Agency's Horizon 2000 programme, and is the largest scientific satellite it has launched to date. This paper summarises the principal characteristics of the Observatory which are pertinent to scientific operations. The scientific results appearing in this issue have been enabled by the unprecedentedly large effective area of the three mirror modules, which are briefly described. The in-orbit performance and preliminary calibrations of the observatory are briefly summarised. The observations from the XMM-Newton calibration and performance verification phase, which are public and from which most papers in this issue have been derived, are listed. The flow of data from the spacecraft, through the ground segment, to the production of preliminary science products supplied to users is also discussed.

XMM-Newton observatory*: I. The spacecraft and operations. Commentary

The power of robotic telescopes to transform science education has been voiced by multiple sources, since the 1980s. Since then, much technical progress has been made in robotic telescope provision to end users via a variety of different approaches. The educational transformation hoped for by the provision of this technology has, so far, yet to be achieved on a scale matching the technical advancements. In this paper, the history, definition, role and rationale of optical robotic telescopes with a focus on their use in education is provided. The current telescope access providers and educational projects and their broad uses in traditional schooling, undergraduate and outreach are then outlined. From this background, the current challenges to the field, which are numerous, are then presented. This review is concluded with a series of recommendations for current and future projects that are apparent and have emerged from the literature.

/pdf/robotic-telescopes-in-education-2i3jaooox8.pdf

Robotic telescopes in education

In this age of modern era, the use of internet must be maximized. Yeah, internet will help us very much not only for important thing but also for daily activities. Many people now, from any level can use internet. The sources of internet connection can also be enjoyed in many places. As one of the benefits is to get the on-line sensors and camera systems for scientific industrial and digital photography applications ii book, as the world window, as many people suggest.

Sensors and camera systems for scientific, industrial, and digital photography applications : 24-26 January 2000, San Jose, USA

X-ray fluorescence observations of the moon by SMART-1/D-CIXS and the first detection of Ti Kα from the lunar surface

The effect of non-ionising energy loss of protons in charge-coupled devices is to displace silicon atoms and any dopant materials present from their lattice positions to form lattice defects which in turn can trap electrons (IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS-40 (1993) 1628). A CCD operating as a photon counter for X-ray spectroscopy relies on the efficient transfer of charge from one region to another. The number of defects produced will reduce the charge transfer efficiency and hence degrade the spectral resolution of the energy distribution of interest (Jet-X Project Document: JET-X(94) UL-230 WP2220 (1994)). The Swift X-ray telescope will be equipped with a single EPIC MOS CCD22 as developed for the XMM project SPIE 3445 (1998) 13. It is the aim of this study to determine the effect of the radiation environment on the performance of the CCD and its impact on the scientific objective of the X-ray telescope, to probe the X-ray afterglow of gamma-ray bursts.

/pdf/the-effect-of-proton-damage-on-the-x-ray-spectral-response-3bdlaqozlz.pdf

The effect of proton damage on the X-ray spectral response of MOS CCDs for the swift X-ray telescope

The swept charge device has been developed using CCD technology to perform photon counting X-ray spectroscopy in the 0.5–10 keV band as an alternative to silicon PIN and drift diode detectors. The key benefits of the detector are large area, combined with reduced electrical interconnects, with X-ray performance obtained using modest cooling to around −20°C. Here we test the technology for its suitability for space use where solar protons degrade the CTI of the detector leading to a degradation in its resolution as a spectrometer. We report on the irradiation experiments conducted and discuss changes in leakage current and energy resolution in the detector.

Proton damage in the E2V swept charge device

The University of Tubingen 3.5 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator facility was used to investigate the effect of low-energy protons on the performance of the European Photon Imaging Camera, metal-oxide-semiconductor, charge-coupled devices (CCDs). Two CCDs were irradiated in different parts of their detecting areas using different proton spectra and dose rates. Iron-55 was the calibration source in all cases and was used to measure any increases in charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) and spectral resolution of the CCDs. Additional changes in the CCD bright pixel table and changes in the low X-ray energy response of the device were examined. The Monte Carlo code Stopping Range of Ions in Matter was used to model the effect of a 10 MeV equivalent fluence of protons interacting with the CCD. Since the non-ionising energy loss function could not be applied effectively at such low proton energies. From the 10 MeV values, the expected CTI degradation could be calculated and then compared to the measured CTI changes.

/pdf/the-impact-of-low-energy-proton-damage-on-the-operational-45ssb4l7fy.pdf

The impact of low energy proton damage on the operational characteristics of EPIC-MOS CCDs

The effect of different proton fluences on the performance of two E2V Technologies CCD47-20 devices was investigated with particular emphasis given to the analysis of 'random telegraph signal' (RTS) generation, bright pixel generation and induced changes in base dark current level. The results show that bright pixel frequency increases as the mean energy of the proton beam is increased, and that the base dark current level after irradiation scales with the level of ionization damage. For the RTS study, 500 pixels on one device were monitored over a twelve hour period. This data set revealed a number of distinct types of pixel change level fluctuation and a system of classification has been devised. Previously published RTS data is discussed and reviewed in light of the new data.

/pdf/proton-induced-leakage-current-in-ccds-421iv0i7r3.pdf

Proton-induced leakage current in CCDs

The effect of different 10 MeV equivalent proton fluences on the performance of E2V Technologies (formerly Marconi applied technologies, formerly EEV) L3Vision Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) was investigated. The first experimental radiation damage results of the L3Vision device are presented, with emphasis given to the analysis of damage to the gain register of the device. Changes in dark current and generation of bright pixels in the CCD image, store, readout register and gain register as a result of proton irradiation are reported and viewed in light of the potential use of the device in space-based applications. r 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.

/pdf/the-effect-of-protons-on-e2v-technologies-l3vision-ccds-u6i5mey8h4.pdf

D.R. Smith

Papers

The effect of proton damage on the X-ray spectral response of MOS CCDs for the swift X-ray telescope

Proton damage in the E2V swept charge device

The impact of low energy proton damage on the operational characteristics of EPIC-MOS CCDs

Proton-induced leakage current in CCDs

The effect of protons on E2V Technologies L3Vision CCDs