Multilayer protective coatings obtained by pulsed laser deposition

Devices developed for the aeronautic or space industries must be able to operate in harsh environments. In order to protect devices such as microstrip antennae, various coatings have to be used. Herein, we present the results of obtaining YSZ/Al2O3 heterostructures by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) for the protection of planar monopole antennas without changing their performances after the deposition process. The theoretical SRIM-TRIM simulation code results on the effects of ionized radiations incident on a YSZ/Al2O3 heterostructure, as well as the physical properties of the YSZ/Al2O3 thin films obtained by the PLD technique are also presented. The SRIM studies show that at the same energy range the proton penetration depth is higher than the alpha penetration depth, giving insights about the penetration depth of proton and alpha particles in the studied targets. Our goal is to obtain a multilayer structure able to enhance the endurance of the antenna and microwave circuitry in harsh space environment without reducing the performances under nominal operation conditions.