Development of Multifunctional Oxide Thin Films for Space Application

Abstract

To get reliable performance from the spacecraft components thermal control systems are newlineessential. Broadly, spacecraft thermal control can be achieved by active and passive elements based newlinesystems. Passive thermal control elements such as protective and functional thin films or coatings newlineare the best choices for spacecraft by means of mass and energy reduction. Space facing outermost newlineparts of the spacecraft normally is protected by structurally and chemically stable materials. newlineOne of such important applications is GBP based thermal blanket or membrane as sunshield newlinefor CFRP antenna. CFRP material often warped or mechanically damaged due to solar radiation newlinefluctuations. Thus, thin flexible GBP is spread over the CFRP antenna on the sun-facing side of the newlineantenna. Here germanium layer deposited over polyimide to functionalize the insulating surface as newlinesemiconductor without trade-off its other basic requirements such as, RF transparency, thermooptical newlineproperties, etc. newlineNow the challenging task begins to implement the GBP and to retain its functional property newlineup to launch of the spacecraft. Because the estimated lifetime of the GBP is just only 6 months even newlinein standard clean room storage with stringent packaging conditions. Thus, stable and protective newlineoxide based RF transparent thin film may be required to protect and functionalize germanium from newlinedegradation. Further, in the present research work, suitable oxide thin films are explored for newlinespacecraft applications with multifunctional behaviours. newlineAs it is already known the protective mechanism should not hinder the basic required newlineproperties, in view of the fact that, alumina is optically transparent, low solar absorptance and high newlinethermal stable oxide material; aluminium oxide-based ultra thin/ nano film is proposed for the first newlinetime globally in this present work. Besides to alumina, vanadium oxide-based films are also known newlineas good functional semiconducting material especially for cryogenic applications.