Study on the Electromagnetic Radiation Effect of an Aluminum Film in a Vacuum

To study the electromagnetic radiation effect of a thermal control layer (TCL) on the surface of general spacecraft in a space environment, a model of a metal aluminum film material irradiated with microwaves was established, particle-in-cell (PIC)-Monte Carlo collisions (MCCs) simulation was used, and the processes of field emission, multipacting, outgassing, and impact ionization on the surface of thermal control materials were simulated. By comparing the primary-, secondary-, and impact ionization electrons produced under different gas densities, the influence of the process on metal aluminum film was analyzed. The simulation results show that the field emission, multipacting, and collisional ionization on the material surface all strengthened when the outgassing density exceeded the threshold value, and outgassing collision ionization was dominant among them. Avalanche ionization occurred on the material surface to generate plasma, which absorbs electromagnetic wave energy, and the total increase in the energy of ions and electrons may cause damage to the aluminum film, which is very important in its practical application.