The performance of RPCs with bakelite electrodes of various resistivity under high radiation fluxes

Three medium-size Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) with bakelite electrodes having resistivity of 5×108, 5×109 and 3×1010 Ω cm were tested in the Gamma Irradiation Facility at CERN in 1997, 1998 and 1999. The 2 mm gap modules working in an Inverted Double Gap configuration filled with gas mixtures containing freon C2H2F4 and operated in avalanche mode exhibit wide efficiency plateau, good time resolution and small time walk due to rate variation even at intensities as high as 1 kHz/cm2/gap of a continuous radiation flux.