The sand-glass gas detector (SGG)

A novel position-sensitive micro-pattern gas detector called Sand-Glass is introduced. It has been manufactured using printed circuit board technique and its structure is based on two thin kapton foils joined together. The foils are copper-clad on both sides with the strip electrodes structure engraved on either side, and with a very dense perforation in the form of a conically shaped hole pattern etched through both foils, which forms the Sand-Glass shape. The two foils are in electrical contact; the outer faces form cathodes, and the inner layer becomes an anode. Due to the electric field symmetry, electrons from avalanches are collected on the central electrode of the Sand-Glass holes. This geometry may allow 2D readout in the single gas amplification structure. Preliminary results of the SGG detector prototype tests are reported.