The aim of this activity is the study of the aging effect on RF hardware surface properties during the storage period prior to integration and launch and the corresponding implications in the RF breakdown behaviour.

The activity shall investigate the change in SEY (Secondary Emission Yield) properties due to storage conditions prior integration in the satellite. This parameter has a direct impact in the power handling (Multipactor threshold) of the RF component. The activity shall cover the changes in the threshold over time at typical storage conditions. To achieve successful results, the activity shall commence with a review of the Hatch-Williams curves with new test samples. These samples shall be used for the whole duration of the activity to study the aging process. The activity shall investigate the impact in SEY (also electrical performances and RF breakdown) of the parameters such as humidity, temperature, contamination and pressure among others, the outcome could be used to accelerate the degradation process. The investigations shall also focus on possible techniques to mitigate or reverse the aging effect to be implemented before integration and launch (i.e. Tvac cycling, ambient baking,etc). In parallel, this activity shall also cover techniques aiming to measure and analyse SEY properties. This properties can be used in software prediction tools of RF breakdown. The study shall conclude with the necessary findings to complete a recommendation for storage of high power RF components prone to RF breakdown.