Abstract:
Achieving an accurate time response through gaseous media is unavoidably
linked to the use of high fields and small gas gaps. But... what are the
technological implications of these facts?: high fields entail resistive
protection whereas small gaps enforce operation either at high pressure, in
multi-gap configuration or with auxiliary solid converters so as to maintain
an efficient detector response. These requirements would seemingly confine
gaseous timing detectors to operation under relatively low particle fluxes
(to avoid charging up) as well as relatively small sizes (to keep the good
timing characteristics).

In year 2000, 'multi-gap timing resistive plate chambers' (MtRPCs) were
introduced and have been universally adopted since. MtRPCs are regularly
used or studied in experiments and applications that require the detection
on large areas of minimum ionizing particles, heavy ions, gamma rays or
neutrons with sub-100ps accuracy. By simply 'stretching' the original
concept outlined by Fonte, Smirnitsky and Williams, MtRPCs can be operated
nowadays under a particle flux close to 100kHz/cm2, and assembled in
m-square modules with a timing accuracy approaching 50ps (20ps in small
detectors).

We will revisit in this talk the limits of the MtRPC technology towards the
10ps landmark, as well as discussing recent approaches and ideas.

Contact；三部(mibe at post.kek.jp)