Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Measurement Methods Of Electron Emission Over A Full Range Of Sample Charging, R. Hoffmann, John R. Dennison

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Spacecraft charging codes require accurate models of electron yields as a function of accumulated charge to correctly predict the charge build up on spacecraft. The accumulated charge creates equilibrium surface potentials on spacecraft resulting from interactions with the space plasma environment. There is, however, a complex relation between these emission properties and the charge built up in spacecraft insulators.

This paper focuses on different methods appropriate to determine the fundamental electronic material property of total electron yield as the materials accumulate charge. Three methods for determining the uncharged total yield are presented:

(i) The DC Continuous Beam Method is a …