The role of low-energy electrons in the charging process of LISA test masses

Abstract

The space environment encountered by operating spacecraft is populated by a continuous flux of charged particles that penetrate into electronic devices inducing phantom commands and loss of control, eventually leading to satellite failure. Moreover, electron static discharge that results from secondary electron emission of the device materials can also be responsible for satellite malfunction. In this regard, the estimate of the total electron yield is fundamental for our understanding of the test-mass charging associated with galactic cosmic rays in the LISA Pathfinder mission and in the forthcoming gravitational wave observatory LISA. To unveil the role of low energy electrons in this process owing to galactic and solar energetic particle events, in this work we study the interaction of keV and sub-keV electrons with a gold slab using a mixed Monte Carlo and ab-initio framework. We determine the energy spectrum of the electrons emerging from such a gold slab hit by a primary electron beam by considering the relevant energy loss mechanisms as well as the elastic scattering events. We also show that our results are consistent with experimental data and Monte Carlo simulations carried out with the GEANT4-DNA toolkit.

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Charging of free-falling test masses in orbit due to cosmic rays: results from LISA Pathfinder
• Advancements in Secondary and Backscattered Electron Energy Spectra and Yields Analysis: from Theory to Applications
• The role of primary and secondary electrons in scanning transmission electron microscopy of hybrid perovskites: the CsPbBr${}_3$ case
• LISA test-mass charging. Particle flux modeling, Monte Carlo simulations and induced effects on the sensitivity of the observatory
• Assessing the electronic excitation spectra of chromium, palladium and samarium from their stopping quantities