Experimental research on a THGEM-based thermal neutron detector

A new thermal neutron detector with a domestically produced THGEM (Thick Gas Electron Multiplier) was developed as an alternative to ³He to meet the needs of the next generation of neutron facilities. One type of Au-coated THGEM was designed specifically for neutron detection. A detector prototype has been developed and the preliminary experimental tests are presented, including the performance of the Au-coated THGEM working in Ar/CO₂ gas mixtures and the neutron imaging test with ²⁵²Cf source, which can provide the reference for experimental data for research in the future.     

p/π~+ response of single layer THGEM detector in Ar+3% iC_4H_(10)

In this work, we study the response of a single layer Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier(THGEM)detector to p/π+at the E3 line of the Beijing Test Beam Facility. The THGEM detector drift gap used in this study is 4 mm, and the gain of the detector operated in Ar+3% i C4 H10 is about 2000. p/π+particles at momenta between500 Me V/c and 1000 Me V/c are distinguished by a Time Of Flight system. Our results show that at the measured momenta, detection efficiencies for p are from 93% to 99%, and for π+in the range of 82%–88%. Meanwhile, simple Geant4 simulations also have been done, and are consistent with the amplitude spectra of the beam test results. We preliminarily study the feasibility of the THGEM detector as a sampling element for a Digital Hadronic Calorimeter(DHCAL), which may provide support for the possible application of a THGEM detector in the Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC) HCAL.     

A novel method of encoded multiplexing readout for micro-pattern gas detectors

The requirement of a large number of electronic channels poses a big challenge to the further applications of Micro-pattern Gas Detectors(MPGDs). By using the redundancy that at least two neighboring strips record the signal of a particle, a novel method of encoded multiplexing readout for MPGDs is presented in this paper. The method offers a feasible and easily-extensible way of encoding and decoding, and can significantly reduce the number of readout channels. A verification test was carried out on a 5 cm×5 cm Thick Gas Electron Multiplier(THGEM)detector using a 8 ke V Cu X-ray source with 100 μm slit, where 166 strips were read out by 21 encoded readout channels. The test results show good linearity in its position response, and the spatial resolution root-mean-square(RMS) of the test system is about 260 μm. This method has potential to build large area detectors and can be easily adapted to other detectors similar to MPGDs.     

Experimental study on the performance of a single-THGEM gas detector

A kind of thick GEM-like gaseous electron multiplier （THGEM）, which is mechanically an expansion of the GEM with its various dimensions being enlarged, is studied. The leak current of THGEM plates is measured. The effective gain and energy resolution of a single THGEM are studied with a source of 55Fe, and the effective gain of the single THGEM versus the electric field strength in the induction region is investigated. The results show that the leak current of THGEM plates is less than 200 pA. In an atmospheric-pressure standard gas mixture, 8×103 effective gain and about 32% energy resolution can be reached for the single-THGEM detector.     

Experimental study on the performance of a single-THGEM gas detector

A kind of thick GEM-like gaseous electron multiplier (THGEM), which is mechanically an expansion of the GEM with its various dimensions being enlarged, is studied. The leak current of THGEM plates is measured. The effective gain and energy resolution of a single THGEM are studied with a source of 55Fe, and the effective gain of the single THGEM versus the electric field strength in the induction region is investigated. The results show that the leak current of THGEM plates is less than 200 pA. In an atmospheric-pressure standard gas mixture, 8×103 effective gain and about 32% energy resolution can be reached for the single-THGEM detector.     

Monte Carlo simulation of GEM-based for 14 MeV neutron detector

A new concept of neutron detector based on Gas Electron Multiplier(GEM) technology is presented in this paper,in which a novel multi-layer high density polyethylene(HDPE) as neutron-to-proton converter is proposed and studied with Geant4 toolkit for fast 14 MeV neutron.Our preliminary results show that the detection efficiency of the detector with 400 converter units is higher than 2.3% and reconstruction accuracy of the incident neutron position is higher than 2.6%.     

A large-area GEM detector using a novel self-stretching technique

A Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector with an effective area of 300 mm×300 mm has been constructed using a novel self-stretching technique, which allows a highly flexible and efficient GEM detector assembly free of glue or spacers. This makes the re-opening and repair of the GEM detectors possible and significantly reduces the scrap rate in the mass production of large-area GEM detectors. With the technique, the assembly time can be limited to a few hours, a factor of ten improvement compared to that using gluing techniques. The details of design and assembly procedure of the 300 mm×300 mm GEM detector are described in this paper. This detector was tested with 8 keV X-rays for the effective gain, energy resolution and performance uniformity. The results show that the typical energy resolution is 20% at an effective gain of about 10^4, with fairly good uniformity.     

应用于热中子的nTHGEM探测器性能研究

随着脉冲强流中子源的发展,对高性能中子探测器提出了更大的挑战,3He气体资源严重短缺和高计数率中子探测器的迫切需求,已开始制约着中子源应用技术的发展。中国科学院高能物理研究所针对中子的特殊性,专门研发了一种陶瓷基材的nTHGEM（neutron Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier）探测器用于中子探测。基于nTHGEM的中子探测器具有高计数率、高位置与时间分辨能力、增益大、制作工艺简单,且便于大面积制作的特点,是目前国际上发展替代3He探测技术的重要方向之一。为了详细研究nTHGEM探测器的本身性能,本工作使用55Fe放射源研究了nTHGEM探测器的增益、计数率稳定性、能量分辨率等关键参数与nTHGEM膜间电压、收集场强、漂移场强之间的关系,优化了nTHGEM探测器在不同工作气体中的工作参数,为后续进一步优化nTHGEM探测器设计和工艺奠定了基础。实验结果表明,单层nTHGEM探测器在Ar（90%）+CO₂（10%）混合气体中增益能达到103,探测器计数率稳定性良好。另外,还在中国原子能科学研究院的CARR反应堆（China Advanced Research Reactor）上进行了中子束流实验,通过狭缝测量到探测器位置分辨率为（3.01±0.03）mm（FWHM）,已经接近高气压3He MWPC中子探测器水平。With the development of pulsed intense neutron source, the high-performance neutron detector poses more challenges. The severe shortage of 3He gas resources and the urgent need of neutron detector with high counting rate have begun to restrict the neutron source application technology development. In response to the particularity of neutrons, the Institute of High Energy Physics of CAS developed a nTHGEM(neutron Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier)of ceramic substrate for neutron detection. The neutron detector based on nTHGEM is one of the most important directions for the development of alternative 3He detection technology in the world at present because of its high counting rate, high position and time resolution, large gain, simple fabrication process and large area production. In order to study the properties of nTHGEM detector in detail, this paper studied the relationship between nTHGEM detector's gain, counting rate stability, energy resolution and other key parameters and nTHGEM film voltage, collection field strength and drift field strength using 55Fe radioactive source, Optimized the working parameters of nTHGEM detector in different working gases, which laid the foundation for further optimization of nTHGEM detector design and process. The experimental results show that the single-layer nTHGEM detector has a gain of 103 in a Ar(90%)+CO₂(10%) mixed gas with good counting rate stability. In addition, a neutron beam experiment was performed on the China Advanced Research Reactor at the China Institute of Atomic Energy, and the position resolution of the detector was (3.01±0.03) mm (FWHM) measured by slits. Its performance is close to the high pressure 3He MWPC neutron detector level.     

Experimental studies of THGEM in different Ar/CO2 mixtures

In this paper, the performance of a type of domestic THGEM （THick Gaseous Electron Multiplier） working in Ar/CO2 mixtures is reported in detail. This kind of single THGEM can provide a gain range from 100 to 1000, which is very suitable for application in neutron detection. In order to study its basic characteristics as a reference for the development of a THGEM based neutron detector, the counting rate plateau, the energy resolution and the gain of the THGEM have been measured in different Ar/CO2 mixtures with a variety of electrical fields. For the Ar/CO2（90%/10%） gas mixture, a wide counting rate plateau is achieved from 720 V to 770 V, with a plateau slope of 2.4%/100 V, and an excellent energy resolution of about 22% is obtained at the 5.9 keV full energy peak of the 55Fe X-ray source.     

Study on the novel neutron-to-proton convertor for improving the detection efficiency of a triple GEM based fast neutron detector

A high-efficiency fast neutron detector prototype based on a triple Gas Electron Multiplier(GEM) detector, which, coupled with a novel multi-layered high-density polyethylene(HDPE) as a neutron-to-proton converter for improving the neutron detection efficiency, is introduced and tested with the Am-Be neutron source in the Institute of Modern Physics(IMP) at Lanzhou in the present work. First, the developed triple GEM detector is tested by measuring its effective gain and energy resolution with55 Fe X-ray source to ensure that it has a good performance.The effective gain and obtained energy resolution is 5.0×104and around 19.2%, respectively. Secondly, the novel multi-layered HDPE converter is coupled with the cathode of the triple GEM detector making it a high-efficiency fast neutron detector. Its effective neutron response is four times higher than that of the traditional single-layered conversion technique when the converter layer number is 38.     

Study of a sealed high gas pressure THGEM detector and response of alpha particle spectra

A sealed high gas pressure detector working in pure argon is assembled.It consists of a 5 cm x 5 cm PCB THGEM(THick Gaseous Electron Multiplier).The detector structure and experimental setup are described.The performance under high pressure(2 atm) is examined,selecting optimal voltages for the ionization region and induction region.The dependence of the shape of alpha particle spectra measured with relative gas gain on gas pressure(1.3-2.0 atm) has been studied.Eight data sets of relative gas gain versus working voltage of THGEM,expressed by weighting field E/P,are normalized,consistent with theory.The results show that the air tightness of the chamber is good,measured by a sensitive barometer and checked with gas gain.The experimental results are compared with Monte Carlo simulation of energy deposition without gas gain involved.     

CEE-TPC中GEM读出探测器传输性能实验研究

气体电子倍增器(GEM)因其具有较好的位置分辨以及各项同性的二维结构等优点，近年来受到了广泛的关注，在HIRFL-CSR上正在建设的低温高密核物质测量谱仪(CEE)也计划使用GEM作为TPC的读出探测器。不同电场条件下GEM探测器的传输特性对探测器的有效增益及能量分辨有较大影响。文中研究了单层GEM探测器中漂移区电场及感应区电场对探测器传输特性的影响；随后研究了双层GEM探测器的电压分配及传输区电场对探测器电荷传输性能的影响。结果表明，在单层及多层GEM探测器中，漂移区电场、传输区电场及感应区电场主要通过改变电子透过率和GEM雪崩电场强度及分布影响探测器的电荷传输性能，进而影响探测器的有效增益及能量分辨。以上实验结果表明GEM探测器是CEE-TPC读出探测器的理想选择，同时测试结果也为TPC中多层级联GEM工作点的选择提供了参考依据。     

A hybrid structure gaseous detector for ion backflow suppression

A new concept for a hybrid structure gaseous detector module with ion backflow suppression for the time projection chamber in a future circular collider is presented.It is a hybrid structure cascaded Gas Electron Multiplier(GEM) with a Micromegas detector.Both Micromegas and GEM have the capability to naturally reduce most of the ions produced in the amplification region.The GEM also acts as the preamplifer device and increases gas gain together with the Micromegas.Feasibility tests of the hybrid detector are performed using an ~(55)Fe X-ray source.The energy resolution is better than 27% for 5.9 keV X-rays.It is demonstrated that a backflow ratio better than 0.2% can be reached in the hybrid readout structure at a gain of 5000.     

Radiation monitoring of the GEM muon detectors at CMS

The higher energy and luminosity of future High Luminosity (HL) LHC, determines a significant increasing of the radiation background around the CMS subdetectors, and especially in the higher pseudorapidity region. Under such heavy conditions, the RPC (used in muon trigger) most probably could not operate effectively. GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) detectors have been identified as a suitable technology to operate in the high radiation environment in that region and test at CMS will start in 2016. A monitoring system to control the absorbed radiation dose by the GEM under test is developed. Two types of sensors are used in it: RadFETs for total absorbed dose and p-i-n diodes for particle (proton and neutron) detection. The basic detector unit, called RADMON, contains two sensors of each type and can be installed at each GEM detector. The system has a modular structure, permitting to increase easily the number of controlled RADMONs: one module controls up to 12 RADMONs, organized in three group of four and communicates outside by RS 485 and CANBUS interfaces.     

Study of a nTHGEM-based thermal neutron detector

With new generation neutron sources, traditional neutron detectors cannot satisfy the demands of the applications, especially under high flux. Furthermore, facing the global crisis in ~3He gas supply, research on new types of neutron detector as an alternative to ~3He is a research hotspot in the field of particle detection. GEM(Gaseous Electron Multiplier) neutron detectors have high counting rate, good spatial and time resolution, and could be one future direction of the development of neutron detectors. In this paper, the physical process of neutron detection is simulated with Geant 4 code, studying the relations between thermal conversion efficiency, boron thickness and number of boron layers. Due to the special characteristics of neutron detection, we have developed a novel type of special ceramic n THGEM(neutron THick GEM) for neutron detection. The performance of the n THGEM working in different Ar/CO_2 mixtures is presented, including measurements of the gain and the count rate plateau using a copper target X-ray source. A detector with a single n THGEM has been tested for 2-D imaging using a ~(252)Cf neutron source. The key parameters of the performance of the n THGEM detector have been obtained, providing necessary experimental data as a reference for further research on this detector.     

基于复合结构的气体电子倍增器增益模拟和实验研究

气体电子倍增器(GEM)作为高性能的微结构气体探测器在高能物理相关领域内得到了广泛的研究和应用.其中增益是GEM探测器基本性能研究中的一个重要参数,该值的精确测量至关重要.增益的测量一般采用电流测量或者能谱测量方法,但均存在精度较低或者过程繁琐的问题,且无法精确测量低增益值.针对GEM探测器增益的精确测量,本文提出了一种由GEM探测器与微网结构气体探测器(MM)级联构成的复合结构探测器(GEM-MM).利用GEM-MM结构以相对方法实现GEM增益的精确测量.该方法既可以省去传统方法中复杂的电子学标定过程,同时不需要进行原初电离电子数的估算,保证了增益的精确测量,并且可以实现GEM低增益的测量.基于GEM-MM测量GEM增益的原理,本文首先对GEM-MM电荷输运过程进行了模拟研究,优化了合适的工作电压.比较了三种不同类型和配比工作气体下GEM增益模拟结果,并在Ar/iC_4H_(10)(95/5)气体中测量了单层GEM在3—24范围内的有效增益.不同Penning系数下GEM增益的模拟结果表明,Penning系数为0.32时GEM增益的模拟结果与实验测量结果符合得很好.由此可以确定一个大气压下的Ar/iC_4H_(10)(95/5)气体中,Penning系数为0.32±0.01.     

Design and performance of a 2-D multi-wire position sensitive X-ray detector

A 2-D multi-wire position sensitive detector for X-ray diffraction and small angle X-ray scattering studies is described. The detector has an active area of 100 mm × 100 mm and consists of an anode plane with 10 μm SS wires at 3 mm spacing and a pair of orthogonal cathode readout planes with 25 μm SS wires placed at 1.5 mm spacing. The position information is obtained using charge division method and recorded using a laboratory built data acquisition system. The resolution and gas gain was measured for 5.9 keV X-rays (⁵⁵Fe-source) as a function of the anode wire voltage and gas pressure. It was observed that the proportional region of the PSD at 100 kPa pressure extended up to a high voltage value of around 1.5 kV and it shifted to high values up to 2 kV for gas pressure of 300 kPa. The energy resolution improved from 18% (FWHM) to 12% with increase in pressure. The spatial resolution of the PSD also showed improvement, with a value of 1.2 mm × 1.4 mm at 300 kPa gas pressure. A maximum gain of 5 × 10⁴ is obtained.     

Experimental studies of THGEM in different Ar/CO_2 mixtures

In this paper, the performance of a type of domestic THGEM (THick Gaseous Electron Multiplier) working in Ar/CO₂ mixtures is reported in detail. This kind of single THGEM can provide a gain range from 100 to 1000, which is very suitable for application in neutron detection. In order to study its basic characteristics as a reference for the development of a THGEM based neutron detector, the counting rate plateau, the energy resolution and the gain of the THGEM have been measured in different Ar/CO₂ mixtures with a variety of electrical fields. For the Ar/CO₂(90%/10%) gas mixture, a wide counting rate plateau is achieved from 720 V to 770 V, with a plateau slope of 2.4%/100 V, and an excellent energy resolution of about 22% is obtained at the 5.9 keV full energy peak of the ⁵⁵Fe X-ray source.     

激光等离子体软X射线光源光谱强度测量方法

提出了一种新的探测和测量激光等离子体软X射线源光谱强度的方法。该方法使用通道电子倍增器和定标过的硅光电二极管为探测器 ,前者是非标准探测器 ,后者为标准探测器。应用电荷灵敏前置放大器测量探测器产生的电量 ,并以高分辨率的光谱仪为分光元件 ,在已知光栅效率、通道电子倍增器增益、硅光电二极管能量响应的条件下 ,给出了计算激光等离子体软X射线源在某一波长光谱强度的公式