Measurements of space charge effects in square cross-section proportional drift tubes and the performance of proportional drift tubes with triangular cross-section

Abstract

Drift times and amplitudes have been measured simultaneously in triangular proportional drift tubes. An overall space resolution of 200 μm is found. The detection efficiency for minimum ionizing particles across the drift volume is constant and larger than 90%. Space charge effects in square cross-section proportional tubes have been measured with minimum ionizing electrons in momentum 3 GeV/ c in a DESY test beam. The reduction in pulse height depends on the direction of the incident particle with respect to the anode wire and on the particle multiplicity and can be as large as 60%.