Proton radiation testing of digital micromirror devices for space applications

Scientists are interested in using digital micromirror devices (DMD) as slit-masks in multiobject spectrometers on future space missions. A favored orbit is at the second Lagrangian point (L2). A requirement for mission planning is to determine how long such microelectrical mechanical systems devices would remain operational given the L2 radiation environment, which is primarily composed of solar protons and cosmic rays. To this end, we initiated DMD proton testing. Three DMDs were irradiated with high-energy protons (35 to 50 MeV) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88 in. Cyclotron. Assuming a typical spacecraft shielding of 100 mils of aluminum, our tests imply that DMDs remain fully operable in a five-year mission at L2 with a margin of safety of 4.5.