Quality assurance test and Failure Analysis of SiPM Arrays of GECAM Satellites

TL;DR

This paper reports on quality assurance testing and failure analysis of commercial-grade SiPM arrays used in GECAM satellite gamma-ray detectors, providing insights for future space applications.

Contribution

It offers a detailed failure analysis of SiPM devices in aerospace conditions and summarizes practical experience for their use in space payloads.

Findings

Identification of failure mechanisms in SiPM devices

Guidelines for selecting SiPMs for space applications

Insights into reliability of commercial-grade SiPMs in aerospace environments

Abstract

The Gravitational wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) satellite consists of two small satellites. Each GECAM payload contains 25 gamma ray detectors (GRD) and 8 charged particle detectors (CPD). GRD is the main detector which can detect gamma-rays and particles and localize the Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB),while CPD is used to help GRD to discriminate gamma-ray bursts and charged particle bursts. The GRD makes use of lanthanum bromide (LaBr3) crystal readout by SiPM. As the all available SiPM devices belong to commercial grade, quality assurance tests need to be performed in accordance with the aerospace specifications. In this paper, we present the results of quality assurance tests, especially a detailed mechanism analysis of failed devices during the development of GECAM. This paper also summarizes the application experience of commercial-grade SiPM devices in aerospace payloads, and provides suggestions for forthcoming SiPM space applications.