Development of a plasma panel radiation detector: recent progress and key issues

TL;DR

This paper presents the development and testing of a Plasma Panel Sensor (PPS), a novel radiation detector leveraging plasma display technology for fast, high-resolution detection of ionizing particles using radiation-hard materials.

Contribution

It introduces a new PPS technology based on plasma display panels, demonstrating its potential for high-speed, high-resolution radiation detection with initial experimental validation.

Findings

Successful detection of cosmic ray muons

Detection of beta particles from radioactive sources

Demonstrated fast response (~5 ns) per pixel

Abstract

A radiation detector based on plasma display panel technology, which is the principal component of plasma television displays is presented. Plasma Panel Sensor (PPS) technology is a variant of micropattern gas radiation detectors. The PPS is conceived as an array of sealed plasma discharge gas cells which can be used for fast response (O(5ns) per pixel), high spatial resolution detection (pixel pitch can be less than 100 micrometer) of ionizing and minimum ionizing particles. The PPS is assembled from non-reactive, intrinsically radiation-hard materials: glass substrates, metal electrodes and inert gas mixtures. We report on the PPS development program, including simulations and design and the first laboratory studies which demonstrate the usage of plasma display panels in measurements of cosmic ray muons, as well as the expansion of experimental results on the detection of betas from radioactive sources.