Performance of a MICROMEGAS-based TPC in a high-energy neutron beam

Abstract

The MICROMEGAS (MICRO-MEsh GAseous Structure) charge amplification structure has found wide use in many detection applications, especially as a gain stage for the charge readout of Time Projection Chambers (TPCs). Here we report on the behavior of a MICROMEGAS TPC when operated in a high-energy (up to 800 MeV) neutron beam. It is found that neutron-induced reactions can cause discharges in some drift gas mixtures that are stable in the absence of the neutron beam. The discharges result from recoil ions close to the MICROMEGAS that deposit high specific ionization density and have a limited diffusion time. For a binary drift gas, increasing the percentage of the molecular component (quench gas) relative to the noble component and operating at lower pressures generally improves stability.

References in corpus (4)

• A Time Projection Chamber for High Accuracy and Precision Fission Cross Section Measurements
• A Measurement of Photon Production in Electron Avalanches in CF4
• The Excitation Energy Dependence of the Total Kinetic Energy Release in 235U(n,f)
• A μ-TPC detector for the characterization of low energy neutron fields

Cited by in corpus (4)

• The MIGDAL experiment: Measuring a rare atomic process to aid the search for dark matter
• Fission Fragment Angular Anisotropy in Neutron-Induced Fission of ${}^{235}$U Measured with a Time Projection Chamber
• Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Angular Distributions, Anisotropy, and Linear Momentum Transfer Measured with the NIFFTE Fission Time Projection Chamber
• 1H(n,el) as a Cross Section Reference in a White Source Neutron Beam With the fissionTPC