100 ps time-of-flight resolution of Dielectric Resistive Plate Chamber

Abstract

Time of flight of a minimum ionizing particle along a fixed base has been measured with a 100 ps accuracy by means of a Dielectric Resistive Plate Chamber (DRPC) with 4 x 0.3 mm gas gaps. DRPC timing characteristics have been studied with different applied voltages, discriminating thresholds and beam intensities. It may be stated that the time-of-flight resolution of gaseous detectors developed within the ALICE experiment has reached the level of the best known scintillation counters.