Properties of micro-strip gas chambers (MSGC) and recent developments

A micro-strip gas chamber is an ionization chamber where the anode plate is replaced by an insulating or semi-insulating substratum plate with an engraved structure of very thin metallic strips. Such a plate is produced by means of the photolithographic technique. The voltage alternates from strip to strip. Electrons produced anywhere in front of this plate which reach the electric field between the strips will experience an avalanche amplification at sufficiently high field strength. Recently this device has generated the interest of many research groups since it overcomes some of the restrictions met in the conventional proportional gas detectors. The properties of this device as well as new results and investigations in this field are reported.