Gas Electron Multipliers versus Multiwire Proportional Chambers

TL;DR

This paper reviews the evolution of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology, emphasizing its successful application in replacing Multiwire Proportional Chambers for beam profile measurements at CERN, highlighting its growing role in particle detection.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of GEM technology's development and demonstrates its practical replacement of MWPCs in CERN's beam instrumentation.

Findings

GEM detectors successfully replaced MWPCs in CERN's low energy beam measurements.

GEM technology is adaptable for high energy applications at CERN.

Over a hundred profile detectors are being transitioned to GEM technology.

Abstract

Gas Electron Multiplication technology is finding more and more applications in beam instrumentation and at CERN these detectors have recently been adapted for use in transverse profile measurements at several of our facilities. In the experimental areas of CERN's Antiproton Decelerator, low energy Gas Electron Multipliers successfully replaced all Multwire Proportional Chambers in 2012 and another detector type has now been developed for high energy applications in the experimental areas of the SPS, totaling a potential of more than a hundred profile detectors to be replaced by GEM detectors of different types. This paper aims to describe the historical evolution of GEM technology by covering the many different applications but with specific focus on its potential to replace Multiwire Proportional Chambers for standard transverse profile measurement.