Deflection of High-Energy Cosmic Radiation Ions using a Bent Crystal Shield

A bent crystal shield which is capable of deflecting cosmic radiation ions of all atomic numbers away from spacecraft using the ion channeling effect is described. Its effect on the transmitted angular distribution of heavy, high-energy ions is characterized using Monte Carlo channeling simulations. Ions up to an energy limit set by the bent crystal curvature radius are deflected by the full curvature angle. A bent crystal shield with a 1 x 1 cm2 surface area capable of deflecting such ions with energies up to 100 GeV/nucleon is fabricated in which the lattice planes across the entrance surface are uniformly aligned.