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The deep charge-discharge effect in dielectrics induced by high-energy electrons is a major cause of spacecraft anomalies and failures in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO). To evaluate the in-orbit deep charging and discharging behavior of satellite dielectric materials, ground-based simulation testing is essential. However, due to limitations in ground test conditions, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of such evaluations. This paper introduces the key physical model of deep dielectric charging, taking a grounded planar dielectric with an irradiated inner surface as a representative case to analyze the internal charging process and the evolution of critical physical quantities governing deep charging phenomena. In this study, the DICTAT simulation tool is used to investigate the charging effects of three distinct electron sources: strontium-90 decay electrons, monoenergetic electron beams, and GEO ambient electrons. In ground-based simulations, researchers typically use monoenergetic or continuous-spectrum electron beams with flux intensities on the order of pA·cm–2 to irradiate test specimens with varying shielding configurations, dielectric thicknesses, and material compositions, aiming to replicate in-situ deep charging phenomena and assess associated risks. Therefore, the simulations are conducted under electron flux levels representative of GEO orbital conditions. This study focuses on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dielectric samples under three typical spacecraft shielding configurations: 1) externally mounted on the cabin surface, 2) housed inside the pressurized cabin, and 3) embedded within standalone electronic subsystems, while systematically incorporating variations in dielectric thickness. The results show that the disparity between the electron flux deposited within the dielectric bulk and the flux at dielectric interfaces critically governs the severity of charging under varying irradiation conditions. Two key findings emerge as follows. 1) Discrepancies in electron energy spectra and their influence: the differences in energy spectra between the test electron source and the actual space environment lead to variations in deposited electron flux across different aluminum shielding thicknesses and dielectric depths. This discrepancy influences the equilibrium charging state by changing the current density and conductivity in sub-region-n (the dielectric-ground interface), potentially resulting in either underestimation or overestimation of deep charging effects compared with true space conditions. 2) Effectiveness of different electron sources for simulation: strontium-based sources (e.g. Sr-90 β-decay spectra) effectively replicate the internal charging behavior of teflon (PTFE) materials on cabin exteriors and inside pressurized compartments under GEO-like electron flux conditions. 0.5 MeV monoenergetic electron beams are suitable for simulating surface dielectric charging on cabin exteriors. However, higher-energy monoenergetic beams exhibit limited applicability at varying dielectric thicknesses. Despite the similar flux intensity used in the tests compared with that in the actual space environment, the differences in energy distribution between the test beams and space electrons can lead to underestimation or overestimation of the charging effects. Based on the simulation results, this work provides recommendations for selecting appropriate test beam parameters under different shielding conditions to improve the accuracy of ground-based evaluations of in-orbit deep dielectric charging.
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Keywords:
- deep dielectric charging /
- DICTAT simulation /
- electron flux /
- experimental beam current recommendation
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图 1 电子在平板介质结构中沉积示意
Figure 1. Demonstration of electron deposition in flat dielectric
图 2 GEO恶劣环境电子能谱和90Sr-90Y放射源电子能谱分布和不同能量电子对应Al和Teflon中射程
Figure 2. Electron energy spectrum of GEO harsh environment and electron distribution of 90Sr-90Y radioactive source and electrons of different energies correspond to Al and Teflon intermediate ranges.
图 3 Teflon在不同铝屏蔽下相同空间束流强度的各电子能谱辐射充电效果与介质厚度关系 (a) 无屏蔽; (b) 0.8 mm铝屏蔽; (c) 3.8 mm铝屏蔽
Figure 3. Relation between the radiation charging effect of each electron energy spectrum of Teflon with the same spatial beam intensity and the thickness of the medium under different aluminum shielding: (a) No shielding; (b) 0.8 mm aluminium shield; (c) 3.8 mm aluminum shield.
图 4 无屏蔽Teflon在相同空间束流强度的各电子能谱辐射下亚区域n电流密度和电阻率与介质厚度关系 (a) 流动电流密度; (b) 总电阻率
Figure 4. Relationship between sub-region current density and resistivity and dielectric thickness of unshielded Teflon under different electron energy spectrum radiation with the same spatial beam intensity: (a) Flow current density; (b) total resistivity.
图 5 三种单能束电子条件与GEO环境电子辐射舱表、舱内和单机内Teflon的充电效果对比
Figure 5. Comparison of the charging effects of Teflon on the surface, inside the cabin, and inside the single machine under three single-energy beam electron conditions and the GEO environmental electron radiation cabin.
图 6 单能束电子条件与GEO环境电子辐射8种介质材料的充电效果对比关系 (a) 无屏蔽; (b) 0.8 mm铝屏蔽; (c) 3.8 mm铝屏蔽
Figure 6. Comparison of charging effects of eight dielectric materials under single-energy beam electron conditions and GEO environmental electron radiation: (a) No shielding; (b) 0.8 mm aluminium shield; (c) 3.8 mm aluminum shield.
表 1 介质材料的物理性能参数
Table 1. Physical performance parameters of the dielectric materials.
电介质 Teflon Mylar Plexiglas Cmxglass Polythene Expoy Etfe Kapton kp/(Ω–1·cm–1·rad–1·s) 2.0×10–16 3.0×10–20 2.2×10–17 1.0×10–16 4.5×10–16 6.5×10–16 2.0×10–16 1.0×10–15 σ/(Ω–1·m–1) 1.0×10–16 1.0×10–16 1.0×10–15 1.0×10–13 1.0×10–14 2.5×10–15 1.0×10–16 1.0×10–15 Δ 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.6 ρ/(g·cm–3) 2.17 1.4 1.2 2.61 0.93 1.5 1.7 1.42 εr/(F·m–1) 2.15 3.0 4.0 3.8 2.26 3.6 2.5 3.45 
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