A model of breakdown in parallel-plate detectors

Author

Fonte, P.

Author_Institution

Lab. de Instrum. e Fisica Exp. de Particulas, Inst. Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra, Portugal

Volume

2

fYear

1994

fDate

30 Oct-5 Nov 1994

Firstpage

897

Abstract

Parallel-plate avalanche chambers (PPACs) have many desirable properties as fast, large area, particle detectors. However, the maximum gain is limited by a form of violent breakdown that limits the usefulness of this detector, despite its evident other qualities. A previous experimental study is now complemented by a quantitative model of the breakdown phenomenon, based on the “streamer theory”. The model reproduces well the peculiar behaviour of the external current, as observed in PPACs and resistive-plate chambers. Other breakdown properties measured in PPACs are also well reproduced. Some limitations of the model are discussed and alternative mechanisms are proposed

Keywords

avalanche breakdown; ionisation chambers; streamer chambers; breakdown model; external current; large area particle detectors; maximum gain; parallel-plate avalanche chambers; parallel-plate detectors; quantitative model; resistive-plate chambers; streamer theory; Avalanche breakdown; Computational efficiency; Electric breakdown; Electrons; Gases; Instruments; Ionization; Poisson equations; Predictive models; Radiation detectors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, 1994., 1994 IEEE Conference Record

Conference_Location

Norfolk, VA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-2544-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1994.474473

Filename

474473