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Storage of particle tracks in a streamer spark chamber (in German)

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:4369027

Thesis. Tracks of elementary particles can be stored in a streamer spark chamber by using two consecutive high-voltage pulses. In this process, metastable atoms are serving as information carriers which are formed in the avalanche of the first hlgh-voltage pulse and continue for quite a time to produce free electrons in the gas via collisions of the second kind (Penning effect). These free electrons are made visible by the second high-voltage pulse. For a memory time of less than one microsecond, a storage time of some milliseconds is possible. The measuring accuracy during storage operation is essentially determined by the diffusion of the metastable atoms and the free electrons. The diffusion of the latter is strongly reduced in a magnetic field perpendicular to the field direction. The diffusion constant in a neon-- helium mixture has been determined under normal operating conditions in the 1 m-streamer spark chamber of DESY as a function of the magnetic field strength. It was found to be reduced from 640 cm/sup 2//s without magnetic field to 20 cm/sup 2//s at 1.9 Tesla. The spatial resolution remains practically the same. In order to measure and control the memory time, a new method has been developed which is based on the inequality of masses of electrons and negative SF/sub 6/ ions, added to reduce the memory time. This results in a measuring and controlling accuracy of plus or minus 2% for a memory time of two microseconds. (GE)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-29-018502
OSTI ID:
4369027
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
German

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