Linearity and rate capability measurements of RPC with semi-insulating crystalline electrodes operating in avalanche mode

TL;DR

This paper investigates the use of semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide electrodes in Resistive Plate Chambers to enhance rate capability and reduce ageing, through beam tests and gamma radiation measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel RPC design with crystalline semi-insulating GaAs electrodes and evaluates its performance in avalanche mode under high-rate conditions.

Findings

Rate capability improved with GaAs electrodes

Successful operation in avalanche mode with high-energy electrons

Measured intrinsic rate capability in gamma radiation field

Abstract

The intrinsic rate capability and the ageing properties of the Resistive Plate Chambers are closely related to the electrodes material and to the front-end electronics threshold. The development of a low noise pre-amplifier led us to improve the intrinsic rate capability of High Pressure Laminate (bakelite) up to $\sim10\;kHz/cm^2$, nevertheless the effective rate is significantly limited by electrodes ageing. To further improve the effective rate capability new materials are investigated. A Resistive Plate Chamber with crystalline semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide electrodes has been characterized with high energy electrons beam at the Beam Test Facility (BFT), (INFN National Laboratory of Frascati, Italy). The response of the Resistive Plate Chamber to multiple bunched electrons was measured operating the detector in avalanche mode. The intrinsic rate capability has been also measured operating the detector in a uniform high energy gamma radiation field at the GIF++ facility (EHN1 of SPS, CERN).