Compact silicon PIN photodiode sensor for secondary cosmic ray detection at aviation altitudes
Abstract
Exposure to radiation caused by cosmic rays and solar events in space poses a threat to human health and travel in space. Current dosimeters for monitoring crew radiation dosage are often expensive and bulky. We propose a compact and economical design for a dosimeter suited for rocket flight. Drawing from established detector architectures, our design centers on a silicon PIN photodiode detector coupled to a charge sensitive preamplifier and pulse shaping amplifier. When a particle deposits energy into the active region of the photodiode, a current pulse is converted to a voltage pulse by the preamplifier, which is processed by the shaping amplifier to be read by an analog to digital converter. Measurements from this process will be used for obtaining dose rate as a function of time. To calibrate the dosimeter, known radioactive sources were used. A mounting system is subsequently being developed for rocket flight. Resulting prototypes will be flown with the OSU High Altitude Rocketry Club, and later models on the NASA WB-57 research aircraft, Blue Origin's New Shepard, and the International Space Station. The development of flight-ready radiation detectors made of readily available electronic components stands to make rocket-borne dosimetry more economical, providing another tool in the analysis of space and near-space radiation environments.
Citation
Boyce, R., & Heffernan, C. (2022, April 19). Compact silicon PIN photodiode sensor for secondary cosmic ray detection at aviation altitudes. Poster session presented at the Oklahoma State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, Stillwater, OK.