New prospects on particle detection with a Parallel Ionization Multiplier (PIM)

摘要

We report on discharge rate measurements performed with Parallel Ionization Multiplier (PIM) detectors in a 10 GeV hadron beam. Various PIM configurations with two amplification gaps are considered, and compared to a Micromegas-like single-gap configuration. When the two stages of amplification are placed directly on top of one another, the discharge rate is found to be systematically greater than in the single-gap case, whatever the electric fields are in the two stages. Moreover, the rate is strongly correlated with the total thickness of the amplification gap. However, when the two amplification stages are separated by a transfer gap, the discharge rate can be reduced by up to a factor of 50 at a gain of 5000 with a Ne + 10% CO2 gas mixture. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.