Evaluating the performance of ionic liquid coatings for mitigation of spacecraft surface charges

TL;DR

This study evaluates ionic liquid coatings' effectiveness in mitigating spacecraft surface charges by simulating space-like charging environments and analyzing their stability and charge dissipation properties under SEM conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to assess ionic liquid coatings' performance in space-like conditions using SEM imaging and surface potential measurements, demonstrating their stability and charge mitigation capabilities.

Findings

IL films are stable under vacuum and low mass addition.

Coatings enable imaging at high electron current densities without contrast loss.

Surface potential measurements reveal mechanisms like polarization and reorientation.

Abstract

To reduce the impact of charging effects on satellites, cheap and lightweight conductive coatings are desirable. We mimic space-like charging environments in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chambers during deposition of charges via the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). We use the charge induced signatures in SEM images of a thin ionic liquid (IL) film on insulating surfaces such as glass, to assess the general performance of such coatings. In order to get a reference structure in SEM, the samples were structured by nanosphere lithography and coated with IL. The IL film (we choose BMP DCA, due to its beneficial physical properties) was applied ex situ and a thickness of 10 to 30 nm was determined by reflectometry. Such an IL film is stable under vacuum conditions. It would also only lead to additional mass of below 20 mg/m$^2$. At about 5 A/m$^2 \approx 3\cdot10^{19}$ e/(s$\cdot$m$^2$), a typical sample charging rate in SEM, imaging is possible with no noticeable contrast changes over many hours; this electron current density is already 6 orders of magnitudes higher than "worst case geosynchronous environments" of $3\cdot10^{-6}$ A/m$^2$. Measurements of the surface potential are used for further insights in the reaction of IL films to the electron beam of a SEM. Participating mechanisms such as polarization or reorientation will are discussed.