A feasibility study of the reflection readout method of Resistive-Plate Chambers

Abstract

The conventional readout method of Resistive-Plate Chambers uses two sets of orthogonal readout strips placed at both sides of the detector to collect signals of opposite polarities, which can be processed to reconstruct the hit position of incident muons. A new readout method utilising the reflected signal is proposed with only one set of readout strips. This reflection readout method exploits the difference in the arrival time of the original and the reflected signal to determine the hit position. Customised transmission cables are used to extend the propagation distance of the reflected signal to ensure sufficient time separation of the two signals. Compared to the conventional readout method, this reflection readout method can increase the geometrical acceptance of the detector and reduce the number of readout channels, which is particularly appealing for experimental applications with strict space limit. A preliminary feasibility study of this new method has been conducted. Experimental setup and test results are shown in this paper, and it is demonstrated that a spatial resolution of sub-centimetre can be achieved.