PERFORMANCE STUDY OF THIN FILMS FOR ATOMIC OXYGEN AND RADIATION ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION IN SPACE

The metal oxide films are widely use as thermal control materials on satellitesurface against static electricity accumulation. It is further found in the experimentthat these films have also the excellent ability for plasma oxygen and radiationprotection in the space environment. The ability depends on the deposition methodsand process parameters. The test results indicate that the mass loss of the sampleswith sputtered TOfilm is much less than that of the samples of evaporated ITO film, and the mass loss of the samples with evaporated ITO film is less than thatof the samples uncoated too. After plasma oxygen action, electron radiation andultraviolet radiation, the variation of the sheet resistance and the solar absorptanceof To film is also much less than that of ITOfilm. The AFM analysis proves thatthere is a large difference of the film's stability and compactness by the differentpreparing method and processes.