On a new method for testing and calibrating ionizing particle detectors

doi:10.1016/0029-554X(79)90554-8

Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Volume 166, Issue 3, 1 December 1979, Pages 581-582

https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-554X(79)90554-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

A gas mixture containing nickelocene [Ni(C₅H₅)₂] vapour can be ionized by a N₂-laser beam. This can be used for detector calibration. First tests with a drift chamber are reported.

References (2)

G.S. Hurst et al.
Appl. Phys. Lett.
(1977)
I. Pavlik et al.
Collection Czech. Chem. Comm.
(1970)

Cited by (42)

A novel technique for the measurement of the avalanche fluctuations of a GEM stack using a gating foil
2022, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Citation Excerpt :
A combination of UV and visible laser beams was first used by Hurst et al. to measure the avalanche fluctuations and the Fano factor with a cylindrical counter operated in a doped chamber gas [27]. It was then found that a single UV laser could be used for the calibration of chambers with a gas doped with nickelocene [28]. Shortly after that, J. Bourotte and B. Sadoulet, and H.J. Hilke showed that UV lasers could ionize trace impurities (natural contaminants) in a chamber gas and could create straight tracks along the laser beam [29,30].
We have developed a novel technique for the measurement of the size of avalanche fluctuations of gaseous detectors using a gating device (gating foil) prepared for the time projection chamber in the international linear collider experiment (ILD-TPC). In addition to the gating function, the gating foil is capable of controlling the average fraction of drift electrons detected after gas amplification. The signal charge width and shape (skewness) for electron–ion pairs created by a pulsed UV laser as a function of the transmission rate of the gating foil can be used to determine the relative variance of gas gain for single electrons. We present the measurement principle and the result obtained using a stack of gas electron multipliers (GEMs) operated in a gas mixture of Ar-C $F_{4}$ (3%)-isobutane (2%) at atmospheric pressure. Also discussed is the influence of the avalanche fluctuations on the spatial resolution of the ILD-TPC.
A UV laser test facility for precise measurement of gas parameters in gaseous detectors
2021, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Citation Excerpt :
Researchers have been using pulsed UV laser in the calibration for gaseous detectors and the measurement of gas parameters in many works. The early applications [1–4] showed that laser ionization could be applied in different gas mixtures with very stable performance. Therefore, dedicated researches are carried out for the in-depth understanding of laser ionization in wire detectors [5,6], and later on in other detectors like Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) [7,8].
This work is devoted to the development of a UV laser test facility for calibration of gaseous detectors. We applied multiple methods to achieve a micrometer scale accuracy for the laser test facility and provide dedicated investigations for laser ionization in the gaseous detector. With the well-controlled laser ionization and remote DAQ system, we can operate the calibration of gaseous detectors and precise measurement of gas parameters at the micrometer scale related to the detector’s field geometry.
The laser system for the STAR time projection chamber
2003, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
The Time Projection Chamber (TPC) is the core tracking detector for the STAR experiment at RHIC. To determine spatial distortions, calibrate and monitor the TPC, a laser calibration system has been built. We developed a novel design to produce ∼500 thin laser beams simulating straight particle tracks in the TPC volume. The new approach is significantly simpler than the traditional ones, and provides a higher TPC coverage at a reduced cost. During RHIC 2000 and 2001 runs the laser system was used to monitor the TPC performance and measure drift velocity with ∼0.02% accuracy. Additional runs were recorded with and without magnetic field to check $E×B$ corrections.
The 2D microgap wire chamber
1998, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
The micro-gap wire chamber
1997, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
A new gas chamber configuration is described. It combines the geometry of the classical multiwire proportional chambers and one of the recently developed micro-gap chambers. These new chambers consist of a cathode and an anode wire plane separated by thin dielectric strips. The anode shape restores the cylindrical electric field configuration of the multiwire proportional chambers lost by the micro-gap chambers due to their flat anode shape. Gas gains higher than 10⁵ have been obtained under stable conditions allowing the detection of single electrons. Using a current preamplifier, fast and short signals have been observed.
Investigating laser-induced ionization of purified liquid argon in a time projection chamber
1996, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Letter to the editorOn a new method for testing and calibrating ionizing particle detectors

Abstract

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Collection Czech. Chem. Comm.

Letter to the editor
On a new method for testing and calibrating ionizing particle detectors