The Development and Study of High-Position Resolution (50 micron) RPCs for Imaging X-rays and UV photons

Abstract

Nowadays, commonly used Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) have counting rate capabilities of ~10E4Hz/cm2 and position resolutions of ~1cm. We have developed small prototypes of RPCs (5x5 and 10x10cm2) having rate capabilities of up to 10E7Hz/cm2 and position resolutions of 50 micron("on line" without application of any treatment method like "center of gravity"). The breakthrough in achieving extraordinary rate and position resolutions was only possible after solving several serious problems: RPC cleaning and assembling technology, aging, spurious pulses and afterpulses, discharges in the amplification gap and along the spacers. High-rate, high-position resolution RPCs can find a wide range of applications in many different fields, for example in medical imaging. RPCs with the cathodes coated by CsI photosensitive layer can detect ultraviolet photons with a position resolution that is better than ~30 micron. Such detectors can also be used in many applications, for example in the focal plane of high resolution vacuum spectrographs or as image scanners.