UV-LED Project

Abstract

The performance of certain classes of instruments - ones in which the test article is suspended, or floats, within the instrument - is adversely affected by the buildup of electric charge on the floating object. When spacecraft components are grounded, this charge can be easily controlled. But in the case of a free-floating asset, another method of charge dissipation is needed. One method is to use ultraviolet light to create a flow of electrons to or from the test mass, controlling its charge.