Long-term stability study of single-mask triple GEM detector: impact of continuous irradiation

TL;DR

This study evaluates the long-term stability of a single-mask triple GEM detector under continuous irradiation, analyzing gain, efficiency, and energy resolution over nearly 98 days to inform large-scale MPGD applications.

Contribution

It provides detailed long-term performance data of GEM detectors under continuous radiation, highlighting stability and operational insights for experimental deployment.

Findings

Gain and energy resolution remained stable over 98 days.

Count rate behavior under strong radiation was characterized.

Environmental factors like temperature, pressure, and humidity were monitored.

Abstract

A study has been carried out to evaluate the performance stability of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) chamber prototypes in the laboratory using $^{55}$Fe radiation source with Argon and CO$_2$ gas mixture. This research focuses on the characterisation of the GEM detector's gain, efficiency (count rate with radioactive source), and energy resolution under varying operational conditions. A patch on the detector has been subjected to continuous and absolutely uninterrupted radiation for about 98 days. The gain and energy resolution of the detector are measured along with the ambient parameters temperature (t), pressure (p) and relative humidity (RH). In addition to that, the long-term behaviour of the count rate with a strong radioactive source are also studied. This work is very relevant for Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGD) such as GEM before installing on large experiment. The experimental setup, methodology, and results are presented in this article.