1. M. GANCIU, B. MIHALCEA, M.E. OPRAN,
C. DIPLAȘU, C. TICOS, A. GROZA, C. LUCULESCU, O. STOICAN, A. SURMEIAN
INFLPR MĂGURELE, ROMANIA
B. CRAMARIUC – IT CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
R. VASILACHE – CANBERRA PACKARD SRL, BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
O. MARGHITU – INST. OF SPACE SCIENCE, MĂGURELE, ROMANIA

2.  Space radiation environment can lead to extremely harsh
operating conditions for on-board electronic box and systems. The
characteristics of the radiation environment are highly dependent
on the type of mission (date, duration and orbit).
 Radiation accelerates the aging of the electronic parts and
material and can lead to a degradation of electrical performance;
it can also create transient phenomena on parts. Such damage at
the part level can induce damage or functional failure at electronic
box, subsystem, and system levels.
 A rigorous methodology is needed to ensure that the radiation
environment does not compromise the functionality and
performance of the electronics during the system life. This
methodology is called hardness assurance. It consists of those
activities undertaken to ensure that the electronic piece parts
placed in the space system perform to their design specifications
after exposure to the space environment.
Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA)

3.  Radiation-hardened electronic components are being increasingly used for satellite technology
applications → maintenance is not possible in such environments
 Satellites (space systems) are vital components for modern technology: defense and customer
purposes, starting with military imaging satellites to consumer communication satellites
 Legacy systems → form, fit and function equivalents. Maintaining legacy systems running
(operational) is an alternative which leads to budget reduction and adjustment of total costs.
Extending the life-time of currently operating satellites
 Assessing the threats → The biggest danger for orbiting satellite technology are the Van Allen
radiation belts. Explorer 1 and Explorer 3 satellites confirmed the existence of the belt in early 1958
(James Van Allen team). The trapped radiation was first mapped out by Explorer 4, Pioneer 3 and
Luna1.
Radiation hardening : a mandatory condition
for space critical applications

4. VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS

5. Earth's inner radiation belt displays a curiously zebra-esque striped pattern,
according to the latest findings from NASA's twin Van Allen Probes
http://vanallenprobes.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/newsArticles/20140319.php

6. Wave-particle interaction between ULF waves and
energetic electrons. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA)
SAA leads to an increased flux of energetic particles in
this region and exposes orbiting satellites to higher-than-
usual levels of radiation. The effect is caused by the non-
concentricity of the Earth and its magnetic dipole.
http://www.ask.com/wiki/South_Atlantic_Anomaly

7. VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS PHYSICS 1
 Outer electron radiation belt → toroidal shape, produced mainly by inward radial diffusion and local
acceleration due to energy transfer from whistler mode plasma waves to radiation belt electrons (their
number is affected by collisions with atmospheric neutrals, losses to magnetopause and the outward radial
diffusion) . The belt consists of high energy electrons (0.1 – 10 MeV) and ions (energetic protons, α particles
and O+ ). Wide population fluctuations as a result of geomagnetic storms triggered mainly by plasma
disturbances originating in the Sun
1. Y. Y. Shprits, R. M. Thorne Geophysical Research Lett. (Washington, D.C.) 31 (8): L08805 (2004)
2. R. B. Horne, R. M. Thorne et al, Nature (London) 437 (7056): 227–230 (2005)
 Inner radiation belt → high concentrations of electrons in the range of hundreds of keV and energetic
protons ( > 100 MeV), trapped by the strong (relative to the outer belts) magnetic fields in the region. Proton
energies higher then 50 MeV are the result of beta decay of neutrons ↘ outcome of cosmic ray collisions with
upper atmosphere nuclei
3. A. A. Gusev, G. I. Pugacheva, U. B. Jayanthi, N. Schuch, Brazilian J. Phys. 33 (4): 775–781 (2003);
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/tour/AAvan.html
 Third (transient) radiation belt → ultra-relativistic electrons that move around very quickly. Electrons in
this belt subject to phenomena (physics) different from those perceived in other belts
4. D. L. Turner, Y. Shprits, M. Hartinger, V. Angelopoulos, Nature Phys. 8, 208 – 212 (2012)

8. VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS PHYSICS 2
T. Konigstein et al., J. Plasma Physics, 2012, doi: 10.1017/S002377812000153

9.  Van Allen radiation belts represent a major risk for orbiting satellite technology: highly
penetrating radiation, which may inflict damage to dedicated electronics equipment
embarked onboard
 Different ways through which charged particles can wreak havoc on satellite electronics
 Proven impact of space weather conditions on satellite communications. High energy
electron activity during declining phases of the solar cycle → responsible for amplifier
damage and for most of the glitches witnessed between 1996 and 2012.
 High-speed eruptions of charged particles from the sun result in satellite failures. Solar
flares, coronal mass ejections send highly energized particles towards the Earth. Solar
storms disrupt communications systems and damage satellites.
 Charged particle accumulate in satellites which causes internal charging that damages
satellite amplifiers → design of redundant amplifiers
VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS AS MAJOR SATELLITE THREAT

10.  Damages range from mild anomalies to full blown, catastrophic failures
 Better understanding of damaging radiation could yield strategies that better safeguard astronauts and
equipment in space
 Ultra-relativistic electrons within the Van Allen radiation belts penetrate the protective shielding of
satellites
 Expensive state of the art technologies are being developed in agreement with numerical simulations and
testing of elaborate models
 Third Van Allen belt presumably established by plasma wave whipping out electrons from the outer belt
 Electron response varies according to the nature of space phenomena, while depending of their energies
Objectives
Explaining the origin of high-energy particles and mechanisms which accelerate them to
extremely high speeds , storm dynamics and their interaction with the Van Allen radiation
VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS AS MAJOR SATELLITE THREATS

11.  Earth geomagnetic field affected by the impact of
interplanetary shocks. Storm Sudden Commencement (SSC)
→ Earth magnetic signal response to interplanetary shocks
 It is unclear how these particles are produced and accelerated
in the magnetosphere
 In the inner magnetosphere, interaction of particles with VLF
and ULF waves has been considered. Three mechanisms:
1. Prompt acceleration
2. Local acceleration by VLF waves and
diffusive radial transport. Resonant interaction
with VLF waves could heat particles for days
3. Diffusive radial transport by ULF waves
(excited by solar wind pressure variations)
 VLF wave-particle interaction considered to be the primary
electron acceleration mechanism (electron resonances in the
VLF frequency range)
 Solar wind and interplanetary shocks → energy sources for the
magnetosphere
Q-G Zong, Y-F Wang, C-J Yuan, B. Yang et al , Chinese Sci. Bull. 56 (12) , 1188-1201 (2011)
“Killer” electrons acceleration mechanisms

12. o Due to its use on low-Earth orbits, most consumer electronics is less tolerant to radiation
effects, as communication (commercial) satellites are exposed to far less radiation than those
placed on Geostationary orbits
o Sensors with increased ability used to gather satellite data
o Increased data traffic between satellites or back to Earth →need for more powerful algorithms
and more logic in a smaller space, as satellite costs have to be “redimensioned “
o Power issues (solar cells), thermal issues and payload issues (processing large amounts of data
and making decisions or send data to the ground)
o Processing power has to be “adjusted” to data traffic while using as little power as possible →
shrinking of transistor size : 90 nm technology → worsening SNR
o Survival of 90 nm technology to aggressive space environment conditions
o Low voltages susceptible to radiation interference
o New technologies on the consumer market : wide-bandgap technologies
o Radiation effects: total dose, constant bombardment of radiation and low dose rate effects
Radiation-hardened Space Electronics

13. • RHA consists of all steps performed in order to ensure that all components within
a space system perform according to their design specifications after exposure to
the space radiation environment
• RHA deals with environment definition, part selection, part testing, spacecraft
layout, radiation tolerant design, mission/system/subsystems requirements,
mitigation techniques, etc.
• Radiation Hardness Assurance goes beyond the piece part level
Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) revisited

15.  Traditional accelerator facilities
 The radiation environment used for ground testing should ideally be similar to the natural environment probed
by the satellite
 This condition is difficult to achieve by traditional accelerator facilities
 Recently, it was suggested that high power lasers (LPA) could be a better alternative for testing applications
 The energy spectrum of laser accelerated particles is quite similar to the natural one (exponential energy
distribution), unlike the quasi monoenergetic spectrum of accelerated particle beams in classical accelerators
B. Hidding, T. Königstein, O. Willi, J.B. Rosenzweig, K. Nakajima, and G. Pretzler,
Nucl. Instr. Meth. A, 636 31
State of the art in testing for
radiation hardening purposes

17. Plasma acceleration is a technique for accelerating charged particles, such as electrons,
positrons and ions, using an electric field associated with electron plasma wave or other
high-gradient plasma structures (like shock and sheath fields). The plasma acceleration
structures are created either using ultra-short laser pulses or energetic particle beams that
are matched to the plasma parameters. These techniques offer a way to build high
performance particle accelerators of much smaller size than conventional devices The
basic concepts of plasma acceleration and its possibilities were originally conceived by
Toshiki Tajima and Prof. John M. Dawson of UCLA in 1979.

18. LASER PLASMA ACCELERATION
Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Mechanism
http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/latest_research/2004/20040812/20040812.html
http://silis.phys.strath.ac.uk/

19. LASER PLASMA ACCELERATION (LPA)
FOR OTHER TYPES OF TARGETS
S. Y. Kalmykov et al , New J. Phys. 12 (2010) 045019
http://www.scapa.ac.uk/?page_id=53
Ion acceleration from a laser-solid interactionLPA using a gas cell

20. Patent Application, OSIM, A/00 43, 28/08/2013
Method of testing components and complex systems in the pulsed
and synchronized fluxes of laser accelerated particles

21.  Two or more pulsed fluxes of particles, that can eventually be associated with the emission of gamma or X ray
radiation
 Separate (individual) laser-plasma accelerators, located at various positions and distances with regard to the
system to be tested
 The instantaneous intensity of synchronized pulsed fluxes of accelerated particles can largely exceed the one
characteristic to conventional accelerators
 Multiple damage and malfunctions induced on specific time periods
 Tests of complex systems and computer software which drives them
Synchronized and Pulsed Fluxes
consisting of Laser Accelerated Particles

22. Laser-Plasma Acceleration of Particles for Radiation Hardness Testing (LEOPARD)
Project goals and objectives
 The LEOPARD project will establish a Centre of Competences in radiation hardness testing, able to exploit existing
laser infrastructures at the Centre for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL - 1 PW) and the upcoming ELI-NP (2 X
10 PW) , in the near future, as well as the complementary equipment and expertise of several research groups.
 The Centre of Competences will enable proficiency in radiation hardness testing and its applications – based on
both laser-plasma acceleration and conventional setups. Moreover, LEOPARD will make possible the development
of adapted new calibration and detection systems.
 The project will strongly benefit from available competences, as expressed in particular by the recent patent
application submitted by the core team.
 LEOPARD will address radiation hardness testing for both hardware components and software. Hardware testing is
related to the behaviour of components and systems subject to intense radiation fluxes, and implies fundamental
research in interaction of radiation with matter, plasma physics, or nuclear physics, as well as applied research – for
example to optimize and calibrate the particle fluxes at the target. Software testing on the other hand refers to the
programs that control the hardware at various levels, whose built-in redundancy can compensate the hardware
faults.
 The high-power laser equipment in Magurele will thus become relevant for space applications and make a
significant contribution to enhancing the reliability of critical space infrastructure

23. Short description of the LEOPARD (STAR-ROSA) project
The severe radiation environment of the outer space is a major challenge for satellite equipment, which turns
radiation hardness assurance (RHA) into a key issue when designing and testing spacecraft hardware and
software, able to withstand high levels of irradiation. Space missions require intensive tests towards evaluating
potential radiation damages, then implement appropriate design to prevent these damages while performing
radiation hardness testing of critical components – traditionally performed at large accelerator facilities. As the
energy spectrum of classical accelerators is quite different with respect to the space environment, such tests
are not very relevant for space missions
Project goal
Establish the fact that laser-plasma acceleration of particles represents a modern, effective and consequently
a more appropriate method to perform radiation hardness tests, under similar conditions with
those encountered in the natural environment

24. Estimated results for the LEOPARD Project
Development and testing of new solid targets for laser-plasma acceleration
Development of adapted new calibration and detection systems
Addressing radiation hardness testing issues for both hardware components and software based on existing cooperations
with the Polytechnical Institute of Bucharest, the Faculty of Automation
Achieving technology transfer through partnership with the industry
Achieving a critical mass of specialists in a high-tech field for fundamental physics, space science and state of the art
technology, while attracting PhD or Post-Doc students which is a key issue
Focus on education and outreach, in order to make information and progress available to the public
 Human resources involved
o A core team of skilled researchers from INFLPR and Key experts from Romania and other EU countries,
including ESA (European Space Agency)
 Start date of the project / End date of the project: 20.11.2013 / 19.11.2016

25. Work plan f LEOPARD project
WP1 → In depth layout of the project strategy, of work and collaboration strategy between the groups
which establish the Centre of Competence
WP2 → Training of young researchers with respect to specific project objectives and increasing the work
groups skills in using high power lasers for experiments on particle acceleration in plasma, for different
types of targets
WP3 → Preliminary tests performed within the frame of the Centre of Competence, aimed towards laser
induced acceleration in plasmas which are fitted to study the response of simple and complex systems
which undergo interaction with intense radiation flux
WP4 → Study on implementing an innovative multiple irradiation system using pulsed and
synchronized laser accelerated particles, based on the existing facilities at Magurele

26. Implementation status of LEOPARD project
The technical objectives consist in using the CETAL very high power laser to:
 Experimentally demonstrate that high energy electron fluxes can be generated using LPA mechanisms, in a controllable fashion
 Investigate the electron plasma regimes depending on the laser pulse duration and laser power. We estimate that bubble plasma regimes are
not appropriate
 Explore the use of the CETAL laser for radiation hardness tests and damage studies for hardware and software components intended for
space missions
 Demonstrate the feasibility of developing a LPA testing facility in Romania for space radiation studies, with an aim to establish facility to complement
and enhance the ESA RHA programme
Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
 Feasibility to generate representative electron spectra up to 10 MeV with an exponential energy distribution → recently demonstrated in the
laboratory [1]
Start TRL → 2
Target TRL after commissioning the new CETAL PW laser facility ↗ 3-4
[1] B. Hidding, T. Konigstein, J. B. Rosenzweig, K. Nakajima and G. Pretzler, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research,
A636 31-40 (2011)

27. CETAL PW LASER FACILITY
http://pw.cetal.inflpr.ro

28. CETAL Petawatt Laser

29.  Built on Ti-Sapphire technology the laser can deliver pulses of 25 J with a duration
of 25 fs at a repetition rate of 0.1 Hz per pulse and wavelength λ = 800 nm.
 In the low power mode the laser can operate at an increased repetition rate of 10
Hz, delivering 45 TW per pulse.
 The laser beam exiting the compressor has a diameter of 16 cm at FWHM. It is
transported in vacuum by a beam line to the experimental area.
Technical data for the 1 Petawatt laser system

32. RESULTS
 Project with ESA: “Feasibility Study for the Use of the Romanian Cetal
Infrastructure”
Feasibility study aimed at:
1. Electron beam generation, acceleration with electron spectrum up to energies of ~ 100 MeV with
exponential energetic distribution and their characterization
2. Study of generated electron beam interactions with matter
3. Matter characterization and damage assessment
4. Theoretical studies of beam-matter interaction
5. Modelling and simulation of radiation environment and its effects

33.  Results
 CETAL laser operational
 Beam line system completed
 Optical system under testing
 Web page created, displayed after kick-off meeting
 Commissioning scheduled at 25.05.2014
 First experiments scheduled in September 2014

34. Challenges
o Optical transport system on schedule and laser beam parameters within the interaction chamber should be
consistent with accepted tolerances
o Investigation on electron plasma regimes depending on the laser pulse duration and laser power. The laser pulse
duration should be optimized by intensive tests
o Ability to generate exponential energy distribution electron fluxes
o Test and achieve the most adequate plasma regime which is best fitted to obtain the high energy electron
spectrum with exponential distribution
o Extend pulse duration by means of the laser compressor. Too short laser pulses might yield unwanted energy
distribution

35. Project contributions to the goal of the STAR Programme
 Training young researchers and increasing the competences of the work groups in using high power lasers in experiments on particle
acceleration in plasma
 Preliminary tests aimed towards laser induced acceleration in plasmas which are fitted to study the behaviour of simple and complex
systems which undergo interaction with intense radiation fluxes
 Key objective → performing preliminary studies with an aim to implement an innovative multiple irradiation system using pulsed and
synchronized laser accelerated particles, based on the existing facilities at Magurele
 Valorification of new technologies developed and patented within the framework of the Centre of Competence
 Development of numerical simulation methods and new algorithms to illustrate the mechanisms which describe generation and
acceleration of particle flux, under interaction with high power lasers
 Training of young researchers in domains considered of utmost importance for ESA and better integration with the ESA agenda

36. Dissemination activities
First CETAL Petawatt Workshop, November 2013, Magurele, Romania
 Romanian Space Week , 12-16 May 2014, Bucharest, Romania
 Kick-off Meeting 14.05.2014, INCAS
 ERAJUICE - Kick-off Meeting 30.06.2014, NILPRP
Center of Competences
Laser-Plasma Acceleration of Particles for
Radiation Hardness Testing (LEOPARD)

37. Dissemination activities
 Outreach activities and dissemination to the general public → European Space Expo Craiova, 19 – 27 April
2014 (High Power Laser Applications in Space Industry )