Affiliations: [a] College of Astronautics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China
| [b] Avic General Huanan Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, China
| [c] School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| [d] Zhongnan Lanxin Institute of Radiation Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Youtao Gao, College of Astronautics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 211106, Nanjing, China. E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: X-ray communication is a kind of space communication technology which uses X-ray as information carrier. In order to improve the information transmission capacity, communication rate and anti-interference ability of X-ray communication, we proposes to design a novel multi-target X-ray source. The source is composed of a fast switching module of light channels based on FPGA technology and four photoelectric X-ray tubes with different target materials: Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cu. Using Geant4 software, we determined the optimal target thickness for each material, which enabled us to fully leverage the characteristic X-rays for multi-channel signal modulation transmission. Moreover, using CST software for particle trajectory simulation and optimization of the electron beam revealed that at a tube voltage of 20 kV, the focus area measures approximately 1.2 mm×1.2 mm. The simulations show that four kinds of spectra with high distinctiveness can be generated from the Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cu targets. Within a single modulation period, these spectra can be combined in various ways to create 16 different X-ray spectra signals, thereby increasing the number of communication elements and enhancing the information transmission rate.
