Deflection of High-Energy Cosmic Radiation Ions using a Bent Crystal Shield

TL;DR

This paper presents a bent crystal shield design that deflects high-energy cosmic radiation ions using ion channeling, with simulations and fabrication demonstrating deflection of ions up to 100 GeV/nucleon.

Contribution

It introduces a novel bent crystal shield capable of deflecting high-energy cosmic ions, validated through simulations and physical fabrication.

Findings

Deflects ions up to 100 GeV/nucleon

Uses Monte Carlo channeling simulations for characterization

Fabricated a 1x1 cm² shield with aligned lattice planes

Abstract

A bent crystal shield which is capable of deflecting cosmic radiation ions of all atomic numbers away from spacecraft using the ion channeling effect is described. Its effect on the transmitted angular distribution of heavy, high-energy ions is characterized using Monte Carlo channeling simulations. Ions up to an energy limit set by the bent crystal curvature radius are deflected by the full curvature angle. A bent crystal shield with a 1 x 1 cm2 surface area capable of deflecting such ions with energies up to 100 GeV/nucleon is fabricated in which the lattice planes across the entrance surface are uniformly aligned.