# Development of the TIP-HOLE gas avalanche structure for nuclear physics/astrophysics applications with radioactive isotope beams: preliminary results

## TL;DR

This paper introduces the TIP-HOLE gas amplifier, a novel micro-pattern gaseous detector with high-gain capabilities suitable for nuclear physics and astrophysics applications involving radioactive isotope beams, utilizing innovative manufacturing techniques.

## Contribution

The paper presents the design, operational principles, and preliminary performance results of the TIP-HOLE gas amplifier, a new detector structure based on M-THGEM technology with needle-like anodes for high-gain operation.

## Key findings

- Achieves stable high-gain operation at low voltages
- Operates effectively in pure quencher gases at atmospheric pressure
- Utilizes scalable additive manufacturing for large-area production

## Abstract

We discuss the operational principle and performance of new micro-pattern gaseous detectors based on the multi-layer Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (M-THGEM) concept coupled to a needle-like anode. The new gas avalanche structure aims at high-gain operation in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics applications with radioactive isotope beams. It is thereafter named TIP-HOLE gas amplifier, and consists of a THGEM or a two-layers M-THGEM mounted in a WELL configuration. The avalanche electrodes are collected by thin conductive needles (with up to a few ten um radius and a height of 100 um), located at the center of the hole and acting as point-like anode. The bottom area of the needle may be surrounded by a cylindrical cathode strip in order to increase the electron collection efficiency. The electric field lines from the drift region above the M-THGEM are focused into the holes, and then forced to converge on the needle tip. An extremely high field is reached at the top of the needle, creating a point-like avalanche process. Stable, high-gain operations in a wide range of pressures may be achieved at relatively low operational voltage, even in pure quencher gas at atmospheric pressure (e.g. pure isobutene). The TIP-HOLE structure may be produced by the innovative scalable additive manufacturing technology for large-area, multiple-layer printed circuit boards, recently developed by the UHV technology company (USA) and discussed for the first time in this work.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1907.07170