Investigation of space charge behavior in polyimide film during elevating temperature [spacecraft thermal blanket applications]

Spacecraft are covered by a, so-called, thermal blanket made of polyimide film to keep temperature stable in the spacecraft from drastic changes of temperature between -120 and 150/spl deg/C in the space environment. When the film is exposed to radioactive rays, like a high energy electron beam, under such a drastic change of temperature, the film may have degradation or suffered serious physical damage. To understand the interaction of electron beam irradiation on the polyimide film, we have observed the space charge formation process at room temperature using a pulsed electroacoustic method. In this paper, the decay process of space charge in electron beam irradiated polyimide film during elevating temperature was investigated, based on results obtained using simultaneous measurement of the pulsed electroacoustic method and thermally stimulated current.