Measurement of triboluminescence and proton half brightness dose for ZnS:Mn

Preliminary research has shown that triboluminescent (TL) phosphors show promise for use as the active element in impact sensors. For ZnS:Mn, preliminary results indicate that impact energies greater than 1.6/spl times/10/sup -2/ J produced measurable TL light. A so-called "smart" structure with embedded TL material could be capable of determining whether a particle had struck, and record the relative intensity of its impact. In order to use such materials in space, we need to understand the radiation susceptibility of the TL phosphor. The corresponding proton dose required to reduce the proton-induced luminescence of ZnS:Mn to half of its initial value was found to be 9.02/spl times/10/sup 13/ mm/sup -2/. This value will be used to help determine how incident protons affect the production of TL in ZnS:Mn.