A hydrogenated amorphous silicon detector for Space Weather applications

• Published in: Astrophysics and space science Vol. 368; no. 9; p. 78
• Main Authors: Grimani, Catia, Fabi, Michele, Sabbatini, Federico, Villani, Mattia, Antognini, Luca, Bashiri, Aishah, Calcagnile, Lucio, Caricato, Anna Paola, Catalano, Roberto, Chilà, Deborah, Cirrone, Giuseppe Antonio Pablo, Croci, Tommaso, Cuttone, Giacomo, Dunand, Sylvain, Frontini, Luca, Ionica, Maria, Kanxheri, Keida, Large, Matthew, Liberali, Valentino, Martino, Maurizio, Maruccio, Giuseppe, Mazza, Giovanni, Menichelli, Mauro, Monteduro, Anna Grazia, Morozzi, Arianna, Moscatelli, Francesco, Pallotta, Stefania, Passeri, Daniele, Pedio, Maddalena, Petasecca, Marco, Petringa, Giada, Peverini, Francesca, Piccolo, Lorenzo, Placidi, Pisana, Quarta, Gianluca, Rizzato, Silvia, Stabile, Alberto, Talamonti, Cinzia, Thomet, Jonathan, Tosti, Luca, Wheadon, Richard James, Wyrsch, Nicolas, Zema, Nicola, Servoli, Leonello
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon; Astrobiology; Astronauts; Astronomy; Astrophysics; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Cosmic rays; Cosmology; Detection limits; Hydrogenation; Observations and Techniques; Orbits; Particle beams; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Protons; Radiation; Sensors; Silicon; Solar flares; Solar physics; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Space weather; Solar energetic particle events; Solar activity; Space weather; Hydrogenated amorphous silicon
• ISSN: 0004-640X; 1572-946X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10509-023-04235-w

The characteristics of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) detector are presented here for monitoring in space solar flares and the evolution of strong to extreme energetic proton events. The importance and the feasibility to extend the proton measurements up to hundreds of MeV is evaluated. The a-Si:H presents an excellent radiation hardness and finds application in harsh radiation environments for medical purposes, for particle beam characterization and, as we propose here, for space weather science applications. The critical flux detection limits for X rays, electrons and protons are discussed.