Parallel-plate avalanche counters for heavy-ion beam tracking: History and mysteries

Di Carlo, Salvatore; Cortesi, Marco

doi:10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.044801

Parallel-plate avalanche counters for heavy-ion beam tracking: History and mysteries

Journal Article · Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Physical Review Accelerators and Beams

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.27.044801· OSTI ID:2340976

Di Carlo, Salvatore;

Despite being an old detector concept, position-sensitive parallel-plate avalanche counters (PPACs) remain widely used today for heavy-ion position and timing measurements. In modern rare isotope beam facilities and large-acceptance fragment separators, PPACs are used to characterize beam properties (diagnostics), facilitate beam delivery (tuning), and provide event-by-event beam tracking for particle identification (PID). Most popular particle localization methods in PPAC detectors are based on strip electrodes electrically connected to resistive-chain circuits or delay lines. More exotic systems include optical readouts based on recording electroluminescence light with high-granularity photodetector arrays or high-resolution resistive anode electrodes. PPACs with conventional resistive-chain or delay-line readouts achieve typical position and time resolutions of below 1 mm ( $σ$ ) and around 150 ps ( $σ$ ), respectively. In addition, delay-line systems are capable of counting rates above several hundred kHz for beam areas of a few millimeters square, and around 1 MHz for larger beam sizes. Resistive-chain readouts have limited rates of a few tens of kHz. A review of the operation principles and performance of PPAC detectors is presented in this paper. We will discuss decades-long experience building and operating PPACs developed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, and then refined at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), mostly focusing on the delay-line readout technique (DLPPAC). We will also discuss problems that arise due to electric discharges at high rates and briefly describe ongoing developments at FRIB.

Published by the American Physical Society 2024

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0023633

OSTI ID:: 2340976

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2578978

Journal Information:: Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, Journal Name: Physical Review Accelerators and Beams Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 27; ISSN 2469-9888; ISSN PRABCJ

Publisher:: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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