Development of large area and of position-sensitive timing RPCs

Abstract

Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) made with glass and metal electrodes forming accurately spaced gas gaps of a few hundred micrometers have reached timing accuracies below 50 ps [sigma] with efficiencies above 99% for MIPs. This type of detector, operating at atmospheric pressure with non-flammable gases, seems well suited for large TOF systems, providing performances comparable to the scintillator-based TOF technology with significantly lower price per channel and being compatible with magnetic fields.