Performances of multi-gap timing RPCs for relativistic ions in the range Z=1-6

TL;DR

This study evaluates multi-gap timing RPCs' performance with relativistic ions Z=1-6, demonstrating high time resolution and stability, and providing insights into detection of highly ionizing particles for particle physics applications.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed performance analysis of multi-gap timing RPCs with relativistic ions Z=1-6, highlighting their stability and effectiveness in detecting highly ionizing particles.

Findings

Achieved 80 ps time resolution at high efficiency.

Maintained high stability under various ion fluxes.

Provided data to refine avalanche and space-charge models.

Abstract

We present the performance of Multi-gap timing RPCs under irradiation by fully stripped relativistic ions (gamma*beta=2.7, Z=1-6). A time resolution of 80 ps at high efficiency has been obtained by just using standard `off the shelf' 4-gap timing RPCs from the new HADES ToF wall. The resolution worsened to 100 ps for ~ 1 kHz/cm2 proton flux and for ~ 100 Hz/cm2 Carbon flux. The chambers were operated at a standard field of E=100 kV/cm and showed a high stability during the experiment, supporting the fact that RPCs are a convenient choice when accommodating a very broad range of ionizing particles is needed. The data provides insight in the region of very highly ionizing particles (up to x 36 mips) and can be used to constrain the existing avalanche and Space-Charge models far from the usual `mip valley'. The implications of these results for the general case of detection based on secondary processes (n, gamma) resulting in highly ionizing particles with characteristic energy distributions will be discussed, together with the nature of the time-charge correlation curve.