Improving count rate capability of timing RPCs by increasing the detector working temperature

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that increasing the operating temperature of timing RPCs reduces glass resistivity, significantly enhancing count rate capability up to 1500 Hz/cm^2 while maintaining high efficiency and timing precision.

Contribution

It introduces a method of operating timing RPCs at elevated temperatures to improve their count rate capacity without sacrificing performance.

Findings

Count rate capability extended to 1500 Hz/cm^2 at 40.6°C

Detection efficiency remains at 90% at high count rates

Timing precision maintained at 100 ps at elevated temperature

Abstract

This communication describes test beam results, focusing on detection efficiency and timing precision, of common float glass timing Resistive Plate Chambers (tRPCs) exposed to a $2.7$~GeV proton beam and operated at above ambient temperature in order to increase the count rate capability of the chambers, by exploiting the reduction in the resistivity of the glass electrodes. Results suggest that the count rate capability can be extended at least up to $1500~Hz/cm^2$ when the detector is operated at $40.6^{\circ}$C without noticeable loss of efficiency or timing precision degradation with values of $90\%$ and $100$~ps, respectively, for this specific timing RPC arrangement.