Search

The Active Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) is one of the 4 scientific payloads of Chang’E-3 (CE-3) Lunar Rover, of which the scientific object is to identify the elements of lunar soil and rock samples by a carried radioactive source to trigger and detect the characteristic X-ray from them. According to the extreme temperature environment of the APXS and under the restriction of limited resources, this paper presents the design and analysis of the moon-night survival device RHU (radioisotope heating unit) for the APXS, and describes the corresponding environmental tests on its structure dynamics and moon-night survival. Finally, its reinstallation on the launch tower and the preliminary result of its on-orbit operation are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au/Ni/n-type 4H–SiC Schottky alpha particle detectors are fabricated and annealed at temperatures between 400 °C and 700 °C to investigate the effects of thermal stability of the Schottky contact on the structural and electrical properties of the detectors. At the annealing temperature of 500 °C, the two nickel silicides (i.e., Ni31Si12 and Ni2Si) are formed at the interface and result in the formation of an inhomogeneous Schottky barrier. By increasing the annealing temperature, the Ni31Si12 transforms into the more stable Ni2Si. The structural evolution of the Schottky contact directly affects the electrical properties and alpha particle energy resolutions of the detectors. A better energy resolution of 2.60% is obtained for 5.48-MeV alpha particles with the detector after being annealed at 600 °C. As a result, the Au/Ni/n-type 4H–SiC Schottky detector shows a good performance after thermal treatment at temperatures up to 700 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]