Operation of a Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) in Ar, Xe and Ar-Xe

TL;DR

This study investigates the performance of a Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (THGEM) in argon, xenon, and their mixture, demonstrating high gains and good energy resolution across various pressures and configurations.

Contribution

The paper provides new experimental data on THGEM operation in different gases and pressures, highlighting its high gain capabilities and energy resolution performance.

Findings

Achieved gains above 10^4 in all tested gases and conditions.

Demonstrated good energy resolution below 20% FWHM with 5.9 keV x-rays.

Operated effectively in Ar-Xe mixture up to 2 bar pressure.

Abstract

We present the results of our recent studies of a Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (THGEM)-based detector, operated in Ar, Xe and Ar:Xe (95:5) at various gas pressures. Avalanche-multiplication properties and energy resolution were investigated with soft x-rays for different detector configurations and parameters. Gains above 10E4 were reached in a double-THGEM detector, at atmospheric pressure, in all gases, in almost all the tested conditions; in Ar:Xe (95:5) similar gains were reached at pressures up to 2 bar. The energy resolution dependence on the gas, pressure, hole geometry and electric fields was studied in detail, yielding in some configurations values below 20% FWHM with 5.9 keV x-rays.