Cs$_2$LiYCl$_6$:Ce$^{3+}$ (CLYC) is a new scintillator that is an attractive option for applications requiring the ability to detect both gamma rays and neutrons within a single volume. It is therefore of interest in applications that require low size, weight, or power, such as space applications. The radiation environment in space can over time damage the crystal structure of CLYC, leading to reduced performance. We have exposed 2 CLYC samples to 800 MeV protons at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, one to approximately 10 kRad and one to approximately 100 kRad. We measured the pulse shapes and amplitudes, energy resolution, and figure of merit for pulse-shape discrimination before and after irradiation. We have also measured the activation products and monitored for room-temperature annealing of the irradiated samples. The results of these measurements and the impact of radiation damage on CLYC performance is presented.
Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) are quickly replacing traditional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) as the readout of choice for gamma-ray scintillation detectors in space. While they offer substantial size, weight and power saving, they have shown to be susceptible to radiation damage. SensL SiPMs with different cell sizes were irradiated with 64 MeV protons and 8 MeV electrons. In general, results show larger cell sizes are more susceptible to radiation damage with the largest 50 um SiPMs showing the greatest increase in current as a function of dose. Current increases were observed for doses as low at ~2 rad(Si) for protons and ~20 rad(Si) for electrons. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratorys (NRL) Strontium Iodide Radiation Instrument (SIRI-1) experienced a 528 uA increase in the bias current of the on-board 2x2 SensL J-series 60035 SiPM over its one-year mission in sun-synchronous orbit. The work here focuses on the increase in bulk current observed with increasing radiation damage and was performed to better quantify this effect as a function of dose for future mission. These include the future NRL mission SIRI-2, the follow on to SIRI-1, Glowbug and the GAGG Radiation Instrument (GARI).
Radiation damage effects represent one of the limits for technologies to be used in harsh radiation environments as space, radiotherapy treatment, high-energy phisics colliders. Different technologies have known tolerances to different radiation fields and should be taken into account to avoid unexpected failures which may lead to unrecoverable damages to scientific missions or patient health.
The LHCb Vertex Locator (VELO) is a silicon strip detector designed to reconstruct charged particle trajectories and vertices produced at the LHCb interaction region. During the first two years of data collection, the 84 VELO sensors have been exposed to a range of fluences up to a maximum value of approximately $rm{45 times 10^{12},1,MeV}$ neutron equivalent ($rm{1,MeV,n_{eq}}$). At the operational sensor temperature of approximately $-7,^{circ}rm{C}$, the average rate of sensor current increase is $18,upmurm{A}$ per $rm{fb^{-1}}$, in excellent agreement with predictions. The silicon effective bandgap has been determined using current versus temperature scan data after irradiation, with an average value of $E_{g}=1.16pm0.03pm0.04,rm{eV}$ obtained. The first observation of n-on-n sensor type inversion at the LHC has been made, occurring at a fluence of around $15 times 10 ^{12}$ of $1,rm{MeV,n_{eq}}$. The only n-on-p sensors in use at the LHC have also been studied. With an initial fluence of approximately $rm{3 times 10^{12},1,MeV,n_{eq}}$, a decrease in the Effective Depletion Voltage (EDV) of around 25,V is observed, attributed to oxygen induced removal of boron interstitial sites. Following this initial decrease, the EDV increases at a comparable rate to the type inverted n-on-n type sensors, with rates of $(1.43pm 0.16) times 10 ^{-12},rm{V} / , 1 , rm{MeV,n_{eq}}$ and $(1.35pm 0.25) times 10 ^{-12},rm{V} / , 1 , rm{MeV,n_{eq}}$ measured for n-on-p and n-on-n type sensors, respectively. A reduction in the charge collection efficiency due to an unexpected effect involving the second metal layer readout lines is observed.