Abstract:
Since the beginning of 21st century, with the advancement of science and technology and the relentless pursuit of space exploration, China has successfully launched multiple space science satellites and deep space exploration payloads. Nuclear and particle detectors play a crucial role among the scientific instruments carried by these satellites. As an essential part of these detectors, nuclear electronics encompasses various functions, including front-end signal readout, digitization, trigger, and data processing. In space science exploration, nuclear electronics must meet the requirements for high resolution, wide dynamic range, accurate particle identification, and data compression and comply with engineering demands such as radiation tolerance, high reliability, and long lifespan in the space environment. This paper aims to review the applications of nuclear electronics within China’s space exploration efforts. By doing so, it seeks to offer valuable references and insights for the further development of nuclear electronics technology in the field of space science. It analyzed the design schemes of nuclear electronics in several space science missions, including the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM), Tianwen-1, the Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S), and the Einstein Probe (EP). On this basis, the paper further discussed the importance of nuclear electronics technology in achieving the scientific objectives of space exploration, and its challenges, such as innovation and adaptation to the space environment, and provides an outlook on future development directions. Nuclear electronics is a pivotal technology in the realm of nuclear and particle detection. In space science missions, nuclear electronics systems must meet stringent electrical performance parameters including the precise readout of detector signals. Beyond these technical requirements, they must also guarantee long-term reliability in the harsh and unique environment of space. The demands on nuclear electronics have been escalating with the expansion and enhancement of scientific objectives, requiring more advanced capabilities in data processing and transmission for space exploration missions. The evolution of nuclear electronics is closely tied to advancements in new materials, cutting-edge manufacturing processes, and artificial intelligence technologies. These advancements promise to yield future nuclear electronics systems that are more compact, reliable, and intelligent. The ongoing and future advancements in nuclear electronics are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of space science missions. By leveraging new technologies and methodologies, the field of nuclear electronics is expected to provide strong support for achieving higher levels of future space science exploration, driving deeper understanding of the universe.