A prototype silicon preradiator for the SSC

The design and first results from the test of a prototype of a preradiator detector are described. Such a detector could be used to enhance the identification of photons and electrons at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The authors´ prototype consists of a tungsten radiator followed by silicon strip detectors. The tungsten thickness is changeable, varying from 0 to 3 radiation lengths. Two silicon detectors, oriented in X and Y, consist of 48 strips, each with a length of 48 mm. The pitch is 1 mm. This granularity is required for separating single and multi-photons at the SSC. The readout is achieved by low-noise, low-power custom preamplifier chips mounted directly on the detectors via custom circuit boards. This preradiator was tested in a beam at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The results from the test on spatial distributions and energy resolution, including correction for the energy deposited in the preradiator, are presented