Synergistic Models of Electron Emission and Transport Measurements of Disordered SiO2
Abstract
An important way for the spacecraft charging community to address the expanding necessity for extensive characterization of electron emission and transport properties of materials is to expand the role of more fundamental materials physics. This includes the development of unifying theoretical models of the charge transport equations based on the creation, distribution, and occupancy of defect densities of states. Models that emphasize the synergistic relation between fitting parameters for diverse measurements can also lead to a better understanding of materials and facilitate solutions to spacecraft charging issues. As an example of this approach, we present results of many different measurements on similar samples of a single common insulating spacecraft material, disordered silicon dioxide. Measurements include time-, field-, and temperature-dependent conductivity, radiation induced conductivity, electron emission yields and spectra, surface voltage accrual and decay, cathodoluminescence, electrostatic discharge, endurance time, and optical transmission.