Photon filter for energetic neutral atom detectors from carbon nanotubes

David M. Deglau; Donald G. Mitchell; Andrew H. Monica; Bruce Andrews; John E. Mattson; Stergios J. Papadakis

doi:10.1117/12.2051135

5 June 2014 Photon filter for energetic neutral atom detectors from carbon nanotubes

David M. Deglau, Donald G. Mitchell, Andrew H. Monica, Bruce Andrews, John E. Mattson, Stergios J. Papadakis

Proceedings Volume 9083, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VI; 90832D (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2051135
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2014, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Detecting energetic particles is a useful approach in studying space plasmas. Of specific interest are energetic neutral atoms (ENA) because their trajectories are unaffected by electric or magnetic fields. Imaging the ENA flux allows for the mapping of remote plasmas. In order to detect such particles, solid-state detectors are advantageous due to their lightweight and low power. However in the sensing environment the photon flux is usually several orders of magnitude higher than the ENA flux. Thus, in order to detect the energetic particles the photon flux must be blocked. Therefore, thin metal or carbon film filters that allow the transmission of ENAs while attenuating the photon signal are used. Here we report tests of low-density mats of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a filter medium. For a given mass per unit area (the parameter which sets the particle transmission energy threshold), CNTs are expected to absorb photons significantly better than thin films. The CNTs were grown by a water assisted chemical vapor deposition technique and pulled from their substrate to generate a CNT sheet covering an aperture. In order to test the performance of the CNT sheet as a filter, the transmissions of light and alpha particles were measured. We were able to achieve filter performance that resulted in alpha particle energy loss of only 5 keV with an optical density of 0.5.

Citation Download Citation

David M. Deglau, Donald G. Mitchell, Andrew H. Monica, Bruce Andrews, John E. Mattson, and Stergios J. Papadakis "Photon filter for energetic neutral atom detectors from carbon nanotubes", Proc. SPIE 9083, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VI, 90832D (5 June 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2051135

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KEYWORDS

Particles

Sensors

Plasmas

Chemical species

Carbon nanotubes

Iron

Optical filters

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