Aerospace dielectric components on spacecrafts are frequently exposed to surface charging. Here the dynamic charging behaviours of advanced aerospace dielectrics under electron beam irradiation are investigated. Combined measurement of dielectric secondary emission yield (SEY) and trap distribution provides input parameters of a drift-diffusion transport model reproducing the beam-irradiated dielectric charging processes. The model reveals the spatial–temporal evolutions of the current

charge density

and electric field distribution. The model-predicted sample current

SEY and surface potential

in a surface layer of 1 μm and with incident electron energy range of 10–30 keV

are compared with the experiments

showing qualitative agreement. The effects of beam energy and current

dielectric material

and sample thickness on the charging processes are explored. Relation between the beam energy and final surface potential is determined

and the beam current is found to only affect the charging speed. Dielectric parameters including the mass density

permittivity

surface resistivity

trap state distribution

electron affinity

together influence the charging speed and final charged state.