Space applications of GAGG:Ce scintillators: a study of afterglow emission by proton irradiation

Abstract

We discuss the results of a proton irradiation campaign of a GAGG:Ce (Cerium-doped Gadolinium Aluminium Gallium Garnet) scintillation crystal, carried out in the framework of the HERMES-TP/SP (High Energy Rapid Modular Ensemble of Satellites -- Technological and Scientific Pathfinder) mission. A scintillator sample was irradiated with 70 MeV protons, at levels equivalent to those expected in equatorial and sun-synchronous low-Earth orbits over orbital periods spanning 6 months to 10 years. The data we acquired are used to introduce an original model of GAGG:Ce afterglow emission. Results from this model are applied to the HERMES-TP/SP scenario, aiming at an upper-bound estimate of the detector performance degradation resulting from afterglow emission.

References in corpus (1)

• A Comparison of Trapped Particle Models in Low Earth Orbit

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Measurement of the non-linearity in the gamma-ray response of the GAGG:Ce inorganic scintillator
• New detailed characterization of the residual luminescence emitted by the GAGG:Ce scintillator crystals for the HERMES Pathfinder mission
• Gamma-Ray Burst Polarimetry with the COMCUBE-S CubeSat Swarm -- Design and Performance Simulations